Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Why Don’t Republicans Name the Enemy?

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From Berean Research:

Silenced For those of us in a discernment ministry, a better question to ask is: Why don’t Christian leaders name the enemy?

But this is not about cowardly Christian luminaries who are averse to naming names because they fear man far more than they fear God; it’s about the Grand Old Party, the party of conservative Americans. (GOP intelligentsia who hold court over the “party of ideas” has finally gotten the message that there’s a wide divide between them and your run-of-the-mill conservative who have come up with their own ideas about what’s best for this country.  But I digress.)

So – who is this enemy Republican leadership will not name?  The Left, declares columnist, author and radio talk-show host Dennis Prager.

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Bathrooms are just the beginning: a scary look into the trans movement’s end goals

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From Berean Research:

The radical LGBTQ–Q is for questioning–has a plan to totally destroy the concepts of male and female. In other words, they want to “burn the binary.” Claire Chretien of LifeSite News reveals that this goal is nothing new. Chretien quotes transsexual activist Riki Wilchins as saying:

Queer activists have been talking about [this] at least since the 1970s of Gay Liberation, even as the movement it spawned has continued to nudge it aside.

Moreover,

As the LGBT movement focused on redefining marriage and enshrining in law same-sex couples’ “right” to children, it also quietly introduced lawsuits advocating for the law to recognize one’s self-perception instead of biological reality as truth.  Once the Supreme Court redefined marriage, the media focus on the LGBT movement slowly began to shift to battles over gender and transgenderism.

So we’ve noticed. Pay attention, brethren.  This isn’t going away.

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Evangelical Christians condemn introduction of Zen Buddhism to York Minster

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According to Ruth Gledhill of Christian Today, York Minister in the north of England has quietly introduced Zen Buddhist meditation.  Blending various religious beliefs is syncretism which is dangerous as it results in a fundamental change of beliefs.  Gledhill writes:

Buddhism and ChristianityA leading adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that Buddhist meditation introduced by a key cathedral in the north of England breaches the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.

Dr Ian Paul, a highly-regarded conservative evangelical member of the Archbishops’ Council, and also a regular commentator for Christian Today, writes on his Psephizo blog, says the setting up of a “sangha” or community for Buddhist meditation at York Minster illustrates the “nonsense” of the so-called “broad church”.

The revelation of Buddhism being practised at York Minister was doubly embarrassing because it came on Pentecost, which this year was chosen by the Church of England as the culmination of a week of prayer for the evangelisation of the nation.

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The Moral Revolutionaries Present Their Demands: Unconditional Surrender

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Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, makes no bones about the fact that conservatives have lost the culture wars.  And of course the Left is gloating over our loss.  So, not surprisingly, they’re saying to the losing side, which includes conservative evangelicals, “You lost, deal with it.”  And we did lose, big time.  Now liberals are preparing to rub our noses in the battle field mud.

How should Bible believers deal with this startling defeat?  According to Eph 6:10, followers of Jesus Christ must “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (See what that looks like here.)

Armor-up, brethren, because the winner’s are going to take a hard line: “No accommodation whatsoever,” urged one Harvard Law School professor. “Don’t even try to be nice to moral enemies…since their arguments have no normative authority of any kind.”

Liberals have no intention of showing any sort of kindness toward conservatives — and Bible believers are the Left’s real “moral enemies.”  As Dr. Mohler points out in his piece, these people will go all out to squash religious freedom.

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An Economist Explains Why America Is Moving Toward Totalitarianism

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Bob Bluey of The Daily Signal interviews economist Walter Williams who makes the case that America is heading toward totalitarianism.

The famed George Mason University professor says the government is gradually gaining more control over the lives of the American people. What can be done about it? Williams explains why it’s hard to change course, especially in regard to young people who embrace socialist ideas.

 

(Source)

Brain Stopper No. 5: Bill Johnson’s Book Ban

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In her 5th installment of “Brain stoppers,” Holly Pivec of Spirit of Error addresses Arch Heretic Bill Johnson’s endeavor to stop critical thinking.  Pivec writes:

“Brain stoppers” is a term I came up with to refer to a variety of tactics used by leaders in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) to discourage their followers from thinking critically about NAR teachings. I’ve written a series of posts about different brain stoppers, starting with “Brain Stopper No. 1: Name Calling.”

Another brain stopper, I call the “Book Ban,” is employed by Bill Johnson–senior pastor and NAR apostle over Bethel Church in Redding, California. Johnson tells his readers not to read books that are critical of teachings he promotes. He does this in his popular book When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles. Here are his words.

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Secularists Spread Misinformation About the Ark Encounter to stop people from going

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In a piece over at Answers in Genesis entitled “Secularists Want to Hurt Kentucky,” Ken Ham addresses irrational secularist’s all-out effort to prevent folks from enjoying the Ark Encounter, completely ignoring AIG’s First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.  Ham points out that secularists “simply don’t want Christians to have the full freedom to present their beliefs in the culture.  He writes:

Noah's ArkSecularists in our area called Tri-State Freethinkers (whose president, Jim Helton, is an avowed atheist and serves as regional director of the American Atheists) are bemoaning their failing billboard campaign to oppose the Ark Encounter.

After the proposed billboard campaign hit the press, the company that the secularists were going to use for the billboards apparently backed out. They then decided to use a mobile billboard company, which has also backed out. This is what this secularist group claims in its press release:

After initially agreeing to drive the billboard around the park on multiple weekends during the summer, he [the driver] recently backed out due to fear of his own personal safety.

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Calvary Chapel Golden Springs Invites A Wolf to Feed the Sheep

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Over at the Last Hiker we learn of the latest Calvary Chapel controversy.  Guitarist of Korn, Brian “Head” Welch, will be a guest speaker at SHINE Diamond Bar May 22 to promote his new book, “With My Eyes Wide Open.”  According to Last Hiker, Welch has extreme charismatic beliefs which will be included in his book.  What are some of his mystical beliefs?:

Brian Head WelchHe believes Jesus drops black angelic feathers on him while he worships, and puts gemstones in his hands at church. He believes that Jesus Himself, has walked into his house (video on his Facebook). He believes that it is better to roll around on the floor and be drunk in the spirit than actually sit and listen to a sermon. He has said that God loves us the way a man loves his wife’s naked body. He has a sensual, mystical, extreme charistmatic, drunk in the spirit type of spirituality. And he is being invited to a Calvary Chapel to sell his book??? Calvary distribution wouldn’t even sell the books that are written by the people that share his point of view–because it is UNBIBLICAL!!!! …

Evidence is provided to prove these claims.

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H/T John Lanagan

 

 

Shirley Dobson Passes Prayer Mantle to Anne Graham Lotz?

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Seems “mantles” are all the rage these days.  Recently Mormon Glenn Beck was presented “a new mantle for the future” from NAR lying “prophet” Chuck Pierce.  A few days ago Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, received her own mantle. Berean Research tells us what the mantle thing is all about:

Anne Graham Lotz, Shirley Dobson

Anne Graham Lotz is now the next Chairman of the National Day Of Prayer, having received a ” Prayer Mantle of Leadership” from her predecessor, Shirley Dobson. An interesting choice of words, “Prayer Mantle.”  We Christians tend to use a lot of words that can leave those who don’t share our faith scratching their heads. But “mantle” is one of those words that tend to be used by a subset of Christians, and that word can and should cause more than a head scratch.

Are there biblical mantles?

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Popular Charismatic Worship Artist, Kari Jobe, Teaching Dangerous Theology

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After reading Jeff Maples’ blogpost over at Pulpit & Pen you will wonder why Kari Jobe was invited to lead worship for Women of Faith, an event that draws thousands of women. When you read the lyrics to some of Jobe’s songs, you’ll realize that the words are blasphemous….and you’ll want to repent if you ever uttered those words  Three of Kari Jobe’s songs are featured on the hit CD, Women of Faith Presents Gateway Worship a Collection. So if you own the CD, consider tossing it in the trash.

But this is not about Women of Faith; it’s about contemporary “Christian” music and professing Christians who write and perform it, some of whom are at best biblically illiterate and at worst wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Read it and weep.

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Hillsong exposing their Chrislamic, Roman Catholic agenda

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Terry Crist, senior Pastor of City of Grace as well as the Chair of the Governor’s Council of Faith and Community Partnerships in AZ, shares Hillsong’s agenda in a must watch video.  Following is an excerpt from the transcript:

Isaiah 52, verse 8 says, ‘when the Watchman sing together, then they shall see eye to eye’. So many times we tend focus on what divides us, instead of the man who unites us. Jesus is that God man, who calls us all to himself, and when we respond to that something transcendent happens, something that unites us at a place so much deeper than just mere agreement. And out of that unity comes a shared mission, out of that comes a shared transformation, and that’s really at the core of my heart, my heart longs for the day when we work together and we worship together and out of that we transform our city together, to the glory of God. (emphasis added)

How…ecumenical.  How…New Age.  How…unbiblical.  Note that Crist has spouted 4 Emergent Church buzzwords: transcendent, unity, mission and transformation, i.e. enlightenment.

So with this backdrop in mind, Churchwatch Central enlightens us on what’s going on with the infamous Hillsong Church.  As previously reported, Hillsong has been in the news for all sorts of reasons, including Brian Houston’s cover-up of his father’s pedophilia.   It is also concerning that Hillsong has been propagating a seeker-driven version of the Word of Faith prosperity gospel around the globe.  Now we learn from our friends over at Churchwatch Central that Hillsong has drifted into “Chrislam” and Roman Catholicism.

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Targeting Target

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Rod Dreher of The America Conservative reveals the way in which Target has chosen to handle the controversy that erupted after customers found out that Target’s bathroom policy allows for men who identify as women to use the ladies room and changing room. Dreher includes a letter from a mom who’s 14 year-old daughter was in the NYC Parks Department locker room after swim practice when a middle-aged man sauntered out of the showers wrapped in a towel. Dreher writes:

Andy Park, a gay Florida man, walked into a Target store to test its new bathroom policies. He said he was dressed like a male (you can’t see him in the clip), and had two days of beard stubble. He asks the store’s manager if he can use the women’s room. The manager says sure, and if any women have a problem with that, the store will speak to them about it. Read a news story about it here — with dialogue from the clip — and Target’s response, standing by its policy.

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Stunned Cruz supporters ask: What happened?

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Byron York of Washington Examiner lays out the reasons Ted Cruz dropped out of the race.  Did Cruz make a decision to get out even before Indiana?  According to York:

Hours before the Cruz campaign’s election-night event, the buzz was that Ted Cruz would deliver “somber” remarks. “Somber” became the word of the moment as people who were inside the Cruz structure, but not high-up enough to know what was going on, tried to figure out what would happen.

The room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel slowly filled with Cruz volunteers, many of whom had come to Indiana from out of state because they believed strongly in Cruz. Some came thinking Cruz would win the primary. Even those who worried he would lose Indiana were sure he would vow to fight on to the convention.

But there were clues that Cruz had decided otherwise. A lot of Cruz staff, who normally worked at headquarters in Houston and who rarely if ever traveled with him, were there in Indianapolis. Why would so many travel for this particular event?

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Connecting the NAR dots: Gumbel, Brodersen and the Neo-Calvary emergence

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Berean Research connects the dots for us:

Yes, London is the hot spot for next week’s big gathering of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) leaders, peddling their latest “words from God” and visions from the realms of glory.

Before you say “ho hum, another heretic convention,” let me point out what makes it newsworthy. These are the false teachers now being embraced by some mighty big church hitters from several mainline denominations.

The Empowerment 21 Conference May 11-13 showcases all the usual cast of prophets and prophetesses, plus one more: Nicky Gumbel, the Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton.  This should make those in the Calvary Chapel movement squirm, as it points to yet another recent signpost of a departure from Chuck Smith’s original standards and doctrinal distinctives — not to mention warnings against these dangerous wolves.

NAR “apostles” are as phony as a three-dollar bill

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From Berean Research:

In their blogpost “The Apostles Who Don’t Do Anything,” Cameron Buettel and Jeremiah Johnson of Grace to You team up to answer the question many folks have been asking: Does the Church have modern-day apostles as NAR top dogs purport?  And if what they say is true, who determines when God has commissioned someone as an apostle?

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Cold Hard Facts On Cults

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Marsha West, General Editor CRN

Marsha West, General Editor CRN

Several years ago I penned a piece entitled “Caught up in a cult?”  My concern at the time was that a growing number of people were being drawn into cults and cult-like groups that call themselves Christian.  They had no clue that they’d strayed off The Safe Path into The Deep Weeds.  So I laid out what a cult is and listed several groups to beware of.  Several years later the numbers of people in cults has increased.  The main reason is that there’s a famine of spiritual discernment in the land.

Many so-called evangelical Christians do not know the Truth.  Why?  Largely because they have little or no interest in reading and studying their bibles. Moreover, a growing number of Christians have abandoned the essential doctrines of the faith altogether.  You know things are bad when a believer’s theology is “experience based” rather than based on God’s written Word.  Doctrine, after all, is divisive.  Several years ago, our late brother Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries lamented: “People are drifting into a highly subjective murky mysticism where one decides truth about God by what they ‘feel.’”

One troubling fact is that our younger generation—especially Millennials–have bowed down to the idols of moral relativism, political correctness and tolerance.  Wanting to be seen as “loving” and “tolerant,” Christian Millennials have adopted liberalism’s social justice gospel to avoid offending their neighbor.  They haven’t a clue that the social justice gospel (social action and involvement in issues of justice) saves no one.  Even worse, they completely miss the fact that the true Gospel of Christ has always been, and will continue to be, an offense to the unredeemed mind!

So a word of warning.  Christians who wander away from the safety of the sheep pen to explore The Deep Weeds may find themselves in a den of wolves.  Once inside the wolf den, there’s no easy escape.

Before I move on, I’d like readers to know that those of us involved in a counter-cult ministry oppose anyone, including Christian luminaries, who besmirches the Name of Jesus Christ.  Likewise, we’re concerned for our brethren who’ve been drawn into apostasy and our desire is to lead them out of The Deep Weeds onto The Safe Path.  To that end, the research material at the bottom of the page will help Bereans determine if a group is biblically sound.

“Caught Up In A Cult?”  (2010)

Countless people are caught up in cults and cult-like groups.  To avoid being one of them you must become familiar with the nature of a cult and their schemes. Granted, there are no easy answers to the question, “What exactly is a cult?” But there are some cold hard facts that most people are unaware of.

One thing you can count on is that some of your relatives, friends, neighbors and even the friendly face who checks your groceries at the local market may be caught up in a cult or a cult-like group.

Cult typically refers to “A system of intense religious veneration of a particular person, idea, or object, especially one considered spurious or irrational by traditional religious bodies; as, the Moonie cult.” Add to that: “A strong devotion or interest in a particular person, idea or thing without religious associations, or the people holding such an interest; as, the cult of James Dean; the cult of personality in totalitarian societies.”

Probably the most well-known pseudo-Christian cults are Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) and Christian Science, but there are a whole host of other pseudo-Christian cults.  Some members of these cults may find my assertion humorous.  Others may even become angry.  Sorry about that, however, Christians are not called to be nice; we are called to speak the truth in love and to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

Here’s the truth.  JWs, Mormons and Christian Scientists claim to be Christians yet they deny fundamental Christian doctrine and manipulate the Scriptures to fit in with their own beliefs.  From the Church’s perspective, which is what really matters, these groups have deviated from the historic, orthodox teachings that are derived from the Holy Scriptures and confirmed through the ancient ecumenical creeds.  Thus, people in these cults aren’t true Christians.  This should come as no surprise. After all, they’ve had to defend their spurious beliefs for decades.

Christians are not the only ones caught up in cults.  Pagans, agnostics and atheists may very well be involved in a destructive cult or cult-like group and not even realize it.  For example, devotees of any of the following groups, movements, theories, celebrities, can be exposed to mind control techniques and even open themselves up to the world of the occult!  Here’s a short list to ponder: (Warning! Not for the easily offended.)

  • New Age movement (occultism 101…magic, psychic phenomena, astral travel, divination, tarot cards, astrology, reincarnation…and a whole lot more)
  • New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism. NAR teaches Kingdom Now theology, which humanizes God and deifies man, believes in the restoration of apostles and prophets, and has as its goal to take dominion over the seven mountains of influence, i.e. the 7 Mountain Mandate. Also called Latter Rain, Joel’s Army, Third Way and Manifest Sons of God. Beware of Elijah’s List & Kansas City Prophets (IHOP), plus the Charismatic Renewal. Bethel Church in Redding CA is a full-blown NAR church.
  • Spiritual Warfare movement (deliverance from demonic strongholds, casting out demons, binding territorial spirits, strategic level prayer)
  • Spirituality (current term for New Age, occult beliefs)
  • Eastern mysticism (pantheistic, the opposite of Sola Scriptura…Spiritual Formation (spiritual disciplines), Centering Prayer (contemplative spirituality, breath prayers, The Silence, labyrinth, Lectio Divina, mindfulness)
  • Secret or hidden wisdom, secret oaths (Gnosticism, Freemasonry – occultism)
  • Oprah Winfrey (New Age guru who claims to be a Christian but denies that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, also promotes/practices occultism)
  • Wicca/witchcraft (occult-sorcery-neopaganism)
  • Secret organizations (Freemasonry, Ku Klux Klan, New World Order, Builderberg)
  • Radical political/social groups/activists (LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, feminists, environmentalists, animal rights, abortion)
  • Global warming, climate change, climate crisis (mind manipulation)
  • Self-improvement (personal transformation)
  • Holistic Health movement (occultism)
  • Esoteric groups (UFO’s, Mind Science, Mind Therapy, Transhumanism)
  • Multi-level Marketing (mind manipulation)
  • Alcoholics Anonymous (12-steps – occultism)
  • Advertisements (mind manipulation)
  • K-12 education, academia (mind manipulation)
  • Darwinian evolution (dare to question “settled science” and see what happens)
  • Marxism
  • Nephilim (Genesis flood, pseudo-humans, space alien)

For the record, some of the above-mentioned groups may not be bona fide cults. But they’re not averse to using mind manipulation techniques as a means to an end – and this is what the cults do! Granted, some cults or cult-like groups may not be psychologically harmful. However, for the true Christian it can be spiritually damaging to become involved in any sort of occult practice. And it’s spiritually harmful to follow the teachings of charismatic cult-like leaders whose teaching is decidedly unorthodox. The Bible calls these men and women false prophets. (Jer 5:31).

Some people will believe almost anything, regardless of its absurdity. When confronted with the facts they refuse to listen. Why? Because knowing the truth could deflate their fantasy world so they choose to remain in denial. This is why religious/spiritual gurus, social activists, the media, advertisers, celebrities, doctors, dispensers of pills/vitamins, multi-level marketing groups and powerful political leaders have such an easy time sucking people in – then sucking the life blood out of them! Take est for example. Chances are you haven’t heard of est, as it was big in the late 60s. I don’t have the space to go into the details, but the trainers used mind manipulation techniques on willing participants during feel good weekend seminars. “We’re going to tear you down and put you back together.” Critics of the training called it a cult. Eventually the organization changed its name to Landmark Education and now promotes The Landmark Forum…but only the name has changed.

I’d be remiss not to mention the cult of liberalism a.k.a. progressivism. Liberals/progressives fit right in with groups that have a “strong devotion or interest in a particular person, idea or thing without religious associations [but not always], or the people holding such an interest.”

Ever notice how your liberal/progressive friends refuse to look at both sides an issue? An area of thought where this approach prevails is so-called global warming. The eco-crowd believes that the evidence for global warming is compelling and that scientists on their side of the debate are the best and the brightest. Scientists who deny that global warming is manmade are marginalized and often smeared. Dare to present the opposing side’s views, which is compelling, and the “warmests” just plug their ears.

Liberals/progressives continually carp about narrow-minded unenlightened knuckle dragging people of faith while they walk in lock step with their own spiritual gurus and pay homage to radical activists. And by the way, some of these radicals are our congressional representatives who focus on their leftist social agenda and really don’t give a rip about their constituent’s desires.

But this isn’t about the cult of liberalism; it’s about pseudo Christian cults that are reaching around the globe to suck people in.

Admittedly, it’s not always easy to tell the genuine from the counterfeit, even for the discerning Christian. A common mark of a “Christian” cult is the manipulation of Scripture:

The Bible is twisted to fit the leader or group’s interpretation. Private interpretations are forbidden because the leader of the cult is the only one, of course, who is able to understand God’s voice properly. Their teachings distort the historic, orthodox claims of Christianity. [2]

Another mark of a cult (religious or otherwise) is the use of thought control techniques on the unsuspecting:

There is little concern for individual thought and development. Education is usually discouraged while the convert is bombarded with the cult’s doctrine and literature. Members are called to leave or neglect their old family and life-style for a brand new one. [3]

Cults typically manipulate reality:

They tend to have an exclusive “us”/”them” mentality in which society and old associates are all out to get them. Anyone outside of the group is suspect. [4]

What does the Bible say about those who stray from the truth?

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. (Mat. 7:13-14).

Why do so many seemingly intelligent people end up in a cult? Principally because their hearts have been hardened by sin. (Eph. 4:18) Thus, they are easily led into a cult because of pride, or whatever else, and they allow themselves to follow teachers or teachings rather than the God of the Bible. “There is a real church and a real work for God,” says Mike Oppenheimer of Let Us Reason. “The difference is in the motivation – the why they do it. The cults do things for rewards and good standing in the church, the real Christian does it because they love God and are motivated by love to people having real compassion. The cults become offended when you speak ill of them or their teacher or teachings and become emotional. The real Christian does not take offense and they know it is the Lords [sic] battle not theirs.” [5]

Indeed. The believer is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, only the Holy Spirit can change a person’s heart. (1 Cor. 15:1-4) It is the work of the Holy Spirit that regenerates us, convicts us of our sin, and brings us to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 3:6)

Oppenheimer continues:

The other difference is in teachings, about the person of Christ, the gospel, even the Bible itself. Although cults may use the Bible they have a false understanding of God and salvation and the way we are to relate to Him. [6]

So according to Mike, cults receive their understanding of the Bible from an exhaustive study of their own books and from their teachers, but not from using main stream Christian resources and Bible study tools to better understand the Word of God. Hence, they’re unaware of what historic Christianity really teaches. He also points out that cults will “focus on the minor things and make them major ones and make the major things minor. When this happens doctrines that are not core teachings become amplified and used to make the group exclusive and unique.”

It’s a sad fact that most professing Christians are not well-read on the cults. Some do believe that the JWs and Mormons are non-Christian cults but they’re unable to articulate why they believe this. I don’t mean to pile on the JWs and Mormons but the reason these groups fall in the category of a pseudo Christian cult is, as I stated earlier, they claim to be Christians even though they outright deny many of the essentials of the faith. There is no doubt whatsoever that Mormon theology is incompatible with Christian theology. A mouse in a cookie jar is not a cookie!

Sadly, some people do not protect themselves against wolves in sheep’s clothing. Those who are in destructive cults fail to ask questions. They’re too trusting.

People should want to know the truth – no matter where it leads. So here’s a word of advice. Before committing to anything or getting involved in any sort of group, do your homework. In other words, investigate – dig, examine, study, ask probing questions and demand answers. You have that right!

I’ll close with 2 Cor. 4:3-4:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

One last thing. It is of the utmost importance for God’s people start to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1) Even a little error can be dangerous. Paul pointed out that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.” (Gal. 5:9) So examine everyone’s teaching!

Notes:

[1] Definition of cult – define.com

[2] What are the common characteristics of cults? – Christian Research Institute

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] How Did I Get Here? – Let Us Reason Ministries/Mike Oppenheimer

[6] Ibid

Additional Reading:

Rightly Interpreting the Bible By Ron Rhodes

The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions: The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response – Book by Ron Rhodes

Mormonism aka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS)

Jehovah’s Witnesses aka Watchtower Society 

© Marsha West – updated 4/2024

We all lie, scientists say, but politicians even more so

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Deception starts early.  One researcher says that children learn to lie around 3 years old, “often when they realize that other people don’t know what they are thinking.”  Not surprisingly lying comes naturally to youngsters.  According to Seth Borenstein of The Associated Press, it takes more energy to lie than to tell the truth. He writes:

Pinocchio We watch with fascination as candidates for the world’s most powerful job trade falsehoods and allegations of dishonesty.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump routinely calls rival Ted Cruz “Lyin’ Ted.” Cruz retorts: “Falsely accusing someone of lying is itself a lie and something Donald does daily.”

News organizations such as The Associated Press and PolitiFact dedicate enormous resources to separating candidates’ truthful wheat from their dishonest chaff.

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Emotional manipulators: The truth must die

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Heads up, brethren! Berean Research has some disturbing news to report:

I’m about to share complete blasphemy with you, wrapped and bound snugly in the heartstrings of emotionalism and self esteem. Before you see this in your youth group, in your women’s Bible study, on your timeline, or even from the Jumbotron at your church, I hope you see it here first.

I post this story as a preemptive strike against those who will perpetuate the lies of the enemy of our souls. Thy do it beautifully, with skilled manipulation cloaked in tears. If a wolf cries real tears, then what they are saying must be true, right? After all, God judges the heart, and this wolf’s heart is humble.

If that sounds harsh, I don’t mean it to be. You see, the battle for truth is very real, and very wicked. The enemy’s tactics are as old as “Hath God really said?”

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Calvary Chapel, Bill Hybels, and Jesuit Mysticism

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From Berean Research:

Roger Oakland of Understand the Times International says that Calvary Chapel has a new found connection with Bill Hybels, one of the architects of the seeker-sensitive movement.  Oakland wonders how big of an impact this union will have.  There’s a program Willow Creek implemented by Bill Hybels’ son-in-law Aaron Niequist called The Practice that Oakland sees as “the epitome of all that is emergent.”

What about Calvary Chapel’s connection to The Practice and contemplative prayer? Will this connect Calvary Chapel to the spiritual formation practices promoted by the Jesuits?  So many questions…

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In the Market for Fetal Body Parts, a Baby’s Brain Sells for $3,340

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Kelsey Harkness of The Daily Signal gives us a rundown on the dollar value of baby body parts abortion mills are offering for sale:

Photo: Kelsey Lucas/Visualsey/The Daily Signal

Photo: Kelsey Lucas/Visualsey/The Daily Signal

Republicans on the special House panel investigating the transfer of fetal tissue from aborted babies will present evidence in a hearing today that breaks down the price per body part.

With release of this evidence, Republicans say, they have enough documentation to show that several abortion clinics and middleman procurement businesses may have violated federal law.

“It is just horrifying,” Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who leads the House’s investigation of the fetal tissue industry, told The Daily Signal. “They are putting a dollar value on these organs from these children—unborn children that have been aborted. It is just beyond belief.”

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Discernment Challenge: If you see something, say something!

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From Berean Research:

Every week it seems, Marsha and I receive at least a couple of messages from women who are fraught with angst over a social media post from their friend, relative or church that promotes a false teacher. “What should I do? Should I say something?”

For me there is only one answer: Yes! You can’t not say something. To say nothing is to let your loved one walk headfirst into the blast zone of a terrorist with only one thing on his/her mind: To take out as many sheep as possible.

“But how?” is the next question. What they’re really asking is, “How can I take the least amount of risk to myself so I don’t have to be that Christian?”

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The Re-Education Camps We Call Universities

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From Berean Research:

News media critic Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy In Media pulls no punches as he goes after those who administer what he considers “Marxist re-education camps.”  Now is the time, he says, for taxpayers to “revolt against the socialism that rules higher education in America.”  The fact that socialism rules higher education should come as no surprise to anyone for the reason that the American people are fully aware that liberals have infiltrated academia and that their agenda is to indoctrinate students into the Secular Humanist worldview. The logic behind this is that parents have no clue how to raise their own children, so move over and allow the experts to have a go at it.

Recently Kincaid was uninvited from a left-right debate because a professor alleged that he is an “unrepentant propagandist for extremist right-wing causes.”  Well, he is definitely an unrepentant right-winger.  But isn’t the purpose of a debate to present opposing points of view?  Not since the socialists took over!  They’re going all out to see that students will never hear the conservative position.

With this background in mind, here’s Cliff Kincaid’s report:

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Liberal AGs Have Begun a War Against the First Amendment

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According to Kim Holmes of The Daily Signal, liberals see too much freedom of speech as injurious to their cause. Thus, they’re pulling out all the stops to squash freedom of expression. Holmes writes:

Last week, a line was crossed in the ongoing campaign of liberals to criminalize freedom of expression. The attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands subpoenaed a decade of materials and work by a private advocacy group that had dared to question the orthodoxy of climate change.

The group is the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the attorney general is Claude E. Walker, who had recently signed on to a campaign of over a dozen attorneys general to ferret out so-called climate change “deniers.” It is possible that CEI was being targeted by Walker precisely because one of its attorneys, Hans Bader, had criticized New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who was leading the campaign.

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Todd Bentley posts “proof” of angel feathers and gem stones

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One of the NAR/Dominionist’s lying prophets declares that “Revival is in the air and I know as the wind of the Spirit blows it will spread everywhere quickly! This revival season will be a moving revival touching coast to coast.”

So if the Prophet Todd’s coast to coast revival falls flat, will NAR leaders declare this man a false prophet?

CRN has been warning the brethren for years about this diabolical movement and its modern day “apostles” and “prophets.”  Unfortunately Todd Bentley, who’s the worst of the worst, somehow manages to draw undiscerning Christians into his web of deception. Berean Research has the latest:

Romans 16:17 tells us to mark and avoid false teachers. Todd Bentley has been marked and (hopefully) avoided by most discerning Christians, but unfortunately he claims millions of followers around the world who are impressed by his “miracles.” Now he has snapped a photo of something that allegedly fell from the ceiling. (Why do these miracles only happen at apostate NAR churches, like Bethel Redding?)

I guess it’s pretty common these days. Ho-hum:

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