Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

Research: Yoga

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Many Christians have been duped into thinking that yoga is just relaxation and exercise when nothing could be further from the truth. Classical yoga includes stretching, controlled breathing and relaxation to increase one’s physical fitness.  It is intended to put the practitioner into an altered state of consciousness. The word yoga means to yoke or unite.  Believers who think they’re “just exercising” are being swept into a counterfeit religion.

According to God’s Word, mystical practices of any sort are evil. Romans 12:9 instructs Christians to, “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Sooner or later, those who wade into mystic waters will be pulled into the shark tank. Jesus gave this warning in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Involvement in Eastern mysticism will lead to destruction.

Basic Premise:

The basic premise of yoga theory is the fundamental unity of all existence: God, man, and all of creation are ultimately one divine reality. An editorial in the “Yoga Journal” declares this basic premise:

We are all aware that yoga means “union” and that the practice of yoga unites body, breath, and mind, lower and higher energy centers and, ultimately, self and God, or higher Self. But more broadly, yoga directs our attention to the unity or oneness that underlies our fragmented experiences and equally fragmented word. Family, friends, the Druze guerrilla in Lebanon, the great whale migrating north – all share the same essential [divine] nature (594:4).  (Source)

Can Christianity and yoga be separated?  Former New Ager Marcia Montenegro says that physical yoga and Eastern philosophy are mutually interdependent — you cannot have one without the other:

If one removes the core aspects of Yoga to make it into something acceptable to Christians, then the breathing techniques and asanas need to be removed, which means there is then little or no Yoga at all. Changing the terms does not change Yoga, either. Just as there is no Christian Ouija board and no Christian astrology, so there is no Christian Yoga that is either truly Yoga or truly Christian.

The bottom line is that it is disingenuous and disrespectful to real Yoga practitioners to pretend Yoga is just a physical activity, and it is deceptive to market it that way to anyone else. (Source)

Fast Facts: (adapted from What Is Yoga?)

  • There are different types of yoga, but what they all have in common is they are a way to earn salvation.
  • There are several practices within yoga. These include but are not limited to meditation, repeating the divine name, breathing exercises, performing acrobatic exercises, trying to put one’s own body in difficult postures.
  • Meditation is central to all forms of yoga. Meditation helps its practitioners to be able to find release from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
  • Yoga is a method of spiritual training whose purpose is to integrate or unite the self.
  • Yoga is a physical exercise, its goal is nonphysical-uniting with God.
  • Yoga teaches that people should attempt to yoke the individual spirit to God, to atman-the individual soul or essence of a person-and to Brahman.”
  • Yoga is a $30 billion-a-year business in America.

Phrases and Terms: (Source)

  • Om & Namaste — Some classes will be bookended by a unison “om.” This mantra, or sacred chanting syllable, is a considered to be a primordial sound of the universe. Following your last “om” of the class, the teacher may give the common salutation “Namaste.” “Namaste” literally means “I bow to you,” according to yoga teacher Aadil Palkhivala of Yoga Journal.
  • Pranayama — Breathing techniques to build prana, or energy, are known as pranayama. This is an important aspect of the yoga tradition and a part of the physical practice. A commonly used pranayama in Western classes is known as ujaii breathing, which mimics the sound of the ocean by constricting the throat. This technique links the breath with movements.
  • Asana — The physical practice of yoga is known as Asana and consists of postures or poses. There are hundreds of different yoga postures, and they vary among the different styles and disciplines of Hatha Yoga. Teachers will often give the names of the postures in English, Sanskrit or a mix of the two. In a Vinyasa flow yoga class, the students are led through sun salutations, or Surya Namaskar. The series of postures can be repeated to build prana.
  • Find your center
  • Root yourself
  • Become present
  • Listen to your breath
  • Set your intention
  • Mindfulness

Helpful Articles:

Other Research Sites:

Helpful Videos:

Why I quit “holy yoga” – Former instructor speaks out

Books & DVDs 

What the Bible Teaches: 

“There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). (emphases added)

Also, Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:26; 19:31; 20:6; Isaiah 8:19 and Malachai 3:5.

Views  expressed by individual authors and/or sources don’t necessarily reflect those of Marsha West

Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg Asserts of His Homosexuality: ‘Your Quarrel Is With My Creator’

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All Democrat politicians advocate the homosexual agenda. The radical LGBTQ+ activists demand that society fully accept their lifestyle as both healthy and normal and calls for special rights and legislation for this “suppressed minority.” Homosexual politician Pete Buttigieg will not relent until homosexuality is fully on a par with heterosexuality. He stated that he believes being a homosexual has moved him closer to God. Christian News Network’s Heather Clark reveals why Mayor Pete is actually estranged from his Creator and backs it up with Scripture. She writes:

Speaking before the LGBTQ Victory Fund in Washington, D.C., the openly homosexual mayor of South Bend, Indiana and now Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg recently asserted that if someone takes issue with his homosexuality, their problem is really with his maker. Continue reading →

The Irrelevance of Hell

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“The great question for preachers to consider is whether they fear man or God? Will the minister of the Word actually minister the Word to the congregation—including the whole counsel of God’s Word?”

(Josh Buice – Delivered By Grace)  In our postmodern culture that plays by the tolerance rules of modern times, we have been taught to be “nice” and to pursue happiness at all costs. After all, if we can’t say anything nice, we shouldn’t say anything at all. For the majority of people within our urbane culture, hell is the sort of topic that is not discussed in the local coffee shop nor is it the center of attention in most Sunday sermons. Let’s face it—hell is not relevant to a sophisticated culture. But, why has hell become irrelevant? Continue reading →

Charismatic Magazine Accuses Bethel Student Who Was Kicked Out For Opposing False Doctrine of ‘Witchcraft’

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“Bethel School of Ministry is owned and operated by Bethel Church in Redding, CA — which is run by New Apostolic Reformation Apostle, Bill Johnson and his right-hand man, Kris Vallotton. Both of these men are nefarious blasphemers of God. Bethel is known for several parlor tricks, including what they refer to as “glory clouds,” which have been exposed as nothing more than glitter in the ventilation system.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)  One of the devious tactics of the charismatic movement is its insistence on being accepted among the ranks of every professing denomination as a viable substitute for sound doctrine…. Continue reading →

What We Should Expect From The Release Of The Full Mueller Report

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“The collusion theory that was used to undermine the administration of the duly elected president and justify breaking every norm against him resulted in not a single indictment against an American for colluding with Russia.”

(Mollie Hemingway – The Federalist)   Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report is expected to be made public early this week. The big special counsel news already occurred last month when Attorney General William Barr announced Mueller ended his investigation without a single American — much less a single American tied to President Donald Trump — being indicted for collusion with Russia to steal the 2016 election. Continue reading →

The Battlefield of the Mind

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“As believers who are engaged daily in an ongoing battle for our mind there are only two choices to consider: either submit to the will of Christ who loves us or to the will of Satan who wants to destroy us. There is no third option.”

(Darrell B. Harrison – Just Thinking)  If I were to ask you where does Jesus rank among your daily priorities, how would you respond? Would your first impulse be to give a “spiritual” answer—that is, to say what you think you’re supposed to say as a Christian—or would you reply with what you know in your heart to be true? Continue reading →

Am I doing something wrong if I make a huge decision and don’t wait to hear from God?

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“When I got to GA I applied for a number of jobs. I applied using common sense. What did I have experience in, was trained for, and was good at? It’s not like I consulted the Lord and waited for a sign or anything. I was following the biblical principle that he who does not work does not eat. I sought jobs I thought I had the best chance of getting and sustaining my means.”

(Elizabeth Prata – The End Time)  Does the Bible speak to whom we should marry? Which college to attend? Whether to join the Army? Should we relocate to another state? Change careers now, later, or never? Go back to college? Continue reading →

The Facts of Transgender Ideology Can No Longer Be Ignored

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“These children being administered cross-sex hormones are losing their ability to be fruitful and multiply. Instead the grave permanent effects of this type of hormone therapy is sterility. You read that right! The girl loses her ability to produce eggs and the boy loses his ability to produce sperm.”

(Pulpit & Pen)   One need only take the pulse of online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to realize that Transgenderism is an ideology. Continue reading →

Purpose of Marriage

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The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. For this reason man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:23-25

This is a remarkable passage because it gathers up the great concepts of marriage that run throughout the Bible. After God finished making woman and Adam slept off the deep unconsciousness into which he had fallen, God brought the woman to Adam. What a scene that must have been! Here is the first of a long series of boy-meets-girl stories. Out of this account emerges four factors that are essential to marriage. Continue reading →

The LGBT Lobby Has Been Trying To Exact Revenge On A Chicken Restaurant For Seven Years. This Is Not Normal.

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“I have often said that the LGBT lobby is the biggest bully in America. This is why. It is not just that their activists are aggressive, and often underhanded and deceitful — like when they seek out Christian business owners to entrap and sue — but that they are so unbelievably petty and vengeful. The militant gay left will not let any perceived slight go unpunished, no matter how long it takes to exact revenge. They require that every person conform to their expectations, and any outliers must be neutralized, at whatever cost, no matter how long it takes.”

(Matt Walsh – Daily Wire)  San Jose, California’s city council is focused on the important issue. In response to a new Chick-fil-A establishment opening near the city’s airport, the council has officially passed a resolution to fly rainbow flags near the restaurant…. Continue reading →

Here Are All The Questions Journalists Should Be Asking Obama, Hillary

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“If the FBI, DOJ, CIA, and Director of National Intelligence abused their powers, spying on and undermining the Trump campaign, transition, and presidency, would you condemn those actions?”

(James Barrett – Daily Wire)  On his top-rated radio program Thursday, conservative talker Rush Limbaugh offered up a series of questions that “real journalists” would be asking former President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton right about now. Continue reading →

Same-Sex Attraction, Biblical Christianity, and the Fractures in Our Evangelical Mist

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“There is no doubt that we are living in a brave new world with cultural foundations shifting almost daily. Christians have been disoriented not only by the pace of the change but also by the ways that such changes appear to be moving some Christian leaders and organizations off of their biblical foundations. In such times, the need to reaffirm those foundations is critical and cannot be assumed.”

(Tom Ascol – Founders Ministries)  Last week Tom Buck wrote a series of four articles expressing concerns about the teaching of Living Out and, specifically, articles on their website & recommendations they make to people who have sexual desires for members of the same sex. Those articles, shall we say, created quite a stir. The light that Buck helped shine on this issue and the dissipating mist that is following reveal what I fear are unavoidable fractures within evangelical circles. Continue reading →

FBI Counterintelligence Director Told Congress: ‘No FBI Policy That Says You Can’t Have an Affair’

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Agent Peter Strzok engaged in adultery with FBI lawyer Lisa Page.

“FBI Director Christopher Wray declined to tell Congress on June 28, 2018 if engaging in adultery was a “significant vulnerability” for an FBI counterintelligence agent.”

(Susan Jones – CNSNews)  FBI Assistant Director E.W. “Bill” Priestap, the head of the FBI’s counterintelligence division, told investigators from the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees on June 5, 2018 that the FBI does not prohibit adulterous affairs.

“There’s no FBI policy that says you can’t have an affair, and if you do, you’re going to be punished,” Priestap said, according to a transcript of the closed-door hearing. The transcript was released last week. Continue reading →

Half of Pastors Are Concerned They Will Offend Someone If They Speak on Social Issues

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“They actually feel pressured to not preach on certain topics or pressured to speak on topics that they are not ready to talk about.”

(Amanda Casanova – Christian Headlines) In a new report from the Barna Group, nine out of 10 Christian pastors said they feel that helping Christians form biblical beliefs about specific issues is a major part of their job. Continue reading →

Contributing Editor for Christianity Today Faces Conflict of Interest Questions After Accepting Car From James MacDonald

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“CT’s unusual coverage of the Harvest scandal doesn’t necessarily show collusion between Stetzer, MacDonald, and CT. But it certainly raises questions, especially in light of the gifted car. But it’s not just Stetzer’s position with CT that may present a conflict of interest.”

(Julie Roys)  “Got me a 1971 Beetle,” announced Ed Stetzer on Facebook last April, adding that he and his daughter were planning to restore the classic Volkswagen car. However, what Stetzer didn’t mention was how he had obtained the car. Continue reading →

Sexual revolution of 1960s led to Church abuse crisis, ex-pope says

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“This is an embarrassing letter. The idea that ecclesial abuse of children was a result of the 1960s, a supposed collapse of moral theology, and “conciliarity” (the Church after the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council) is an embarrassingly wrong explanation for the systemic abuse of children and its cover up.”

(Philip Pullella – Reuters)  Former Pope Benedict has blamed the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal on the effects of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, homosexual cliques in seminaries and what he called a general collapse in morality. Continue reading →

Ilhan Omar Trivializes 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: ‘Some People Did Something’

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This woman loves to stir up controversy, loves to be in the spotlight. In the speech she gave, she could have said something like “On the morning of 9/11 terrorists killed 3,000 innocent Americans. I call them terrorists because that is what they were. Those men do not represent my religion.” But instead she said, “some people did something.” Her remarks were condemned, and rightly so.

Now to Ryan Saavedra’s piece over at Daily Wire:

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) trivialized the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history in a recent speech she gave at an event for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — which the United Arab Emirates has designated as a terrorist organization. Continue reading →

The End of the Family?

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“Christian believers must make known with care and respect that destroying patriarchy eliminates the reality of fatherhood, without which there is no family. It is also a rejection of the amazing revelation taught by Jesus regarding God as loving Father, which is at the very basis of the Christian message. Fatherhood is the basis of the success of the Western Christendom, which, with all its faults, has lasted down the centuries, based on a belief in God as Father and Creator.” 

(Peter Jones – truthxchange)  As Christians observing the huge behavioral changes in Western culture, we need to evaluate what our public witness will mean in the days ahead, whether for us individually, for the church community or for our children. It will not be business as usual. Someone recently observed: “If you think of American Christianity as a pendulum, we’re currently at the opposite extreme from the First Great Awakening.”[1]   Continue reading →

Republican releases transcript of top FBI lawyer during Clinton, Trump-Russia investigations

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Baker also admitted that, upon seeing some of the texts exchanged between FBI special agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, he was “quite alarmed” and “concerned about is whether any decisions had been taken — or not taken — in the Midyear case that were driven by political bias of any sort.”

(Jerry Dunleavy – Washington Examiner)  Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., released the transcript of former FBI General Counsel James Baker on Tuesday, the latest in a series of such disclosures by the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee. Continue reading →

7 Threats From a False Teacher

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“When people wonder why publically calling out false teachers is a big deal, simply ask: Would you point out a known sex offender in a neighborhood full of children? Would you warn others if an active shooter were present in a shopping mall? Would you not pick up your infant if a pitbull entered the nursery? Of course. Then why wouldn’t we be faithful to point out dangers and protect the precious children of God?”

(Costi Hinn – For the Gospel)  False teachers and abusive leaders need to maintain their power. Therefore, they use a series of threats to keep people quiet and in line. Get out of line? You might hear one of the seven statements I’ve listed below. Continue reading →

You Go, Girl! Candace Owens Blasts Dems For Splicing Her Video To Fit Their Despicable Narrative

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“As I said, he [Lieu] is assuming black people will not go pursue the full two hour clip. And he purposefully extracted– he cut off and you didn’t hear the question that was asked of me,” Owens explained. “He’s trying to present it as if I was launching a defense of Hitler and Germany, when in fact, the question that was asked of me was pertaining to whether or not I believed HItler– whether or not I believed in nationalism and that nationalism was bad.”

(Beth Baumann – Townhall)  Prager University’s Candace Owens appeared in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to testify about white nationalism in America. In typical liberal fashion, Democrats on the Committee attempted to spin Owens’ previous words explaining nationalism. Continue reading →

Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli, Indicted On Fraud, Money Laundering Charges

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“Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have not publicly commented on the charges. According to People, the former “Full House” actress has turned to God and yoga to help see her through the challenge.”

(Paul Bois – Daily Wire)  One day after actress Felicity Huffman entered a guilty plea for her participation in the college admissions bribery scandal, a federal grand jury has indicted actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Gianulli, for money laundering and fraud, according to USA Today. Continue reading →

Deadly germs, Lost cures: A Mysterious Infection, Spanning the Globe in a Climate of Secrecy

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C. auris is so tenacious, in part, because it is impervious to major antifungal medications, making it a new example of one of the world’s most intractable health threats: the rise of drug-resistant infections.

(Matt Richtel & Andrew Jacobs – MSN.com)   Last May, an elderly man was admitted to the Brooklyn branch of Mount Sinai Hospital for abdominal surgery. A blood test revealed that he was infected with a newly discovered germ as deadly as it was mysterious.

Doctors swiftly isolated him in the intensive care unit. The germ, a fungus called Candida auris, preys on people with weakened immune systems, and it is quietly spreading across the globe. Continue reading →

Second Child Sex Offender Unmasked at Drag Queen Story Time, Houston Activists Say

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One drag queen goes by the name of “Annie Christ”

At the beginning, the anonymous author admitted, “I had tried for so many years to alleviate my depression and dysphoria through random sex, I had lost track of how many partners I’ve had.” This eased the transition from “sex work” to becoming a transgender prostitute and porn actor.

(Tyler O’Neil – PJ Media) On Thursday, activist parents with MassResistance unmasked another child sex offender who greeted children at Drag Queen Story Time. According to local MassResistance leader Tracy Shannon, a drag performer with many aliases has sexually assaulted children and publicly recounted his history as a transgender dominatrix and prostitute for hire…. Continue reading →