Planned Parenthood helping transgender patients with sex changes

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

Planned Parenthood’s mission statement is based on helping individuals “manage his or her fertility.” But now the organization wants to add sex-changes to that goal. So it appears that, if Planned Parenthood has its way, the American tax-payer’s hard-earned money will be spent on the mutilation of transgender people’s bodies.  Fox News has the report:

Planned Parenthood has found a new niche that could prove nearly as controversial as providing abortions: helping transgendered people through the sex-change process.

In the wake of last summer’s undercover videos that appeared to show Planned Parenthood officials selling baby body parts for money – which is illegal – legislators in several states have looked for ways to deny funding to the women’s health giant.

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Religiosity and the hardness of unbelief

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

48 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἴδητε, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε. (John 4:48 NA28)

48 Therefore, Jesus said to him, “Except you see signs and wonders you never believe!” (John 4:48 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

From October 2001 through the first week of December 2012 my wife and I were residing in the Kansas City area. In the KC metro is a “church” that calls itself “World Revival Church.” It is closely associated with another “church” that was sued by the corporation International House of Pancakes because it used the same logo, i.e. IHOP. In any case, the people behind these “churches” advertise heavily on the local television during the evening news hour. The focus of their ads is not to come there to see God glorified or to come and learn about Jesus our Lord and Saviour. No, it is all about “feelings” and “being blessed” and “experiences.” I have written about them before. There are some very disturbing videos portraying “signs and wonders” on Youtube about them as well. In any case, what they promote is attending their church for the experience, to get something for self, all subjectively. Contrast that with our Lord’s own words from John 4:48 (above). View article →

Hillsong exposing their Chrislamic, Roman Catholic agenda

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

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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Out of the Shadows: Wicca Grows in Austin and Beyond

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ ,

According to Reporting Texas:

Witch - caulderonMary Caldwell has spiky pink hair, tattooed arms and works in customer service for a software company. She’s also the leader of a Wicca meet-up that gathers every other Monday at Monkey Nest Coffee on Burnet Road.

On a recent Monday evening, she led the group in a discussion of numerology – the belief that numbers have mystical meanings – as well as rituals and personal experiences with spirits. Recently, some members of the group had visited a local cemetery to commune with spirits.

“Some of the people in the group just see them, some just hear them and some of them just smell them,” said Caldwell, 44.  “It was great fun.”

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Transgender man gives birth after falling pregnant during transition

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ ,

Oh the absurdity of it all. Looks like “Daddy” will raise the child — and “he” is currently breastfeeding her.  According to Independent:

A transgender man in Iceland has given birth to a baby after falling pregnant during his transition.

Henrý Steinn, 19, had already started living as male when he found out he was pregnant.

He told Gay Iceland that the news came just weeks before he was about to start taking testosterone, and a few months after he began transitioning.

“I was well into the consultation and was living as a man but was about one or two months away from starting the hormone treatment when I found out I was pregnant,” he said.

“It would probably have been less likely for me to fall pregnant after that, but not impossible.”

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New administration rule would permit thousands of eagle deaths at wind farms

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ ,

Wind turbineBald eagles and golden eagles are federally protected.  Individuals who kill these birds pay a $100,00 AND the person could face up to 10 years in jail. Now we’re told that our Federal Government has decided to allow wind energy companies (that own the wind farms that operate high-speed turbines that have slaughtered thousands of eagles) to kill or injure 4,200 bald eagles per year without penalty — which is four times the current limit. According to The Associated Press piece, “Golden eagles could only be killed if companies take steps to minimize the losses, for instance, by retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution.”  Moreover,”Under the new proposal, companies would pay a $36,000 fee for a long-term permit allowing them to kill or injure eagles.”  Would the Obama Administration offer the same sort of deal to, say, an oil company?

What the story neglects to mention is that wind farms require backup from power sources that use coal, oil, and natural gas.

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Are you a sinner?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him, 2 and they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?” 3 Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” 5 They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him? ’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Luke 20:1-8 NASB)

One of my favorite books is William Tyndale a Biography by David Daniell. I have read it at least three times.  I keep revisiting it to grasp the condition of the visible Church at the time of the Reformation and how God used that to inspire men to be willing to be burned alive at the stake because they dared to put the word of God into the vernacular so common people could read it. View article →

Abortion Clinics Are Closing at a Record Pace

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Bloomberg has good news to report:

Pre-born babyAbortion access in the U.S. has been vanishing at the fastest annual pace on record, propelled by Republican state lawmakers’ push to legislate the industry out of existence. Since 2011, at least 162 abortion providers have shut or stopped offering the procedure, while just 21 opened.

At no time since before 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion, has a woman’s ability to terminate a pregnancy  life been more dependent on her zip code or financial resources to travel. The drop-off in providers—more than one every two weeks—occurred in 35 states, in both small towns and big cities that are home to more than 30 million women of reproductive age. (strike through added)

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Targeting Target

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

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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Social Media Campaign Urges Disney to Make Elsa a Lesbian Princess in “Frozen” Sequel

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According to CNSNews:

The sequel to Disney’s “Frozen” won’t be out for a few years, but some fans have already launched a social media campaign calling on Disney to make the main character, Elsa, a lesbian.

The campaign #GiveElsaAGirlfriend began when a teen named Alexis Isabel tweeted: “I hope Disney makes Elsa a lesbian princess imagine how iconic that would be.” Then she tweeted: “Dear @Disney, #GiveElsaAGirlfriend.”

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New York Times Promotes Myth That Man-Made Climate Change Refugees Exist

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The Daily Signal reports:

The New York Times has declared the first American climate refugees. The article, published on May 2, tells the story of families living in southeastern Louisiana on the Isle de Jean Charles who will have to relocate (apparently due to man-made climate change).

The article begins by warning that, “Around the globe, governments are confronting the reality that as human-caused climate change warms the planet, rising sea levels, stronger storms, increased flooding, harsher droughts and dwindling freshwater supplies could drive the world’s most vulnerable people from their homes.”

There’s a big problem, however, with this claim.

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The Golden Calf and apostasy

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” (John 14:1-4 NASB) 1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. 3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:1-4 NASB)

Those familiar with the Exodus of Israel from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan know that the journey was long and arduous. Only two men from those who left Egypt made it through the journey. The rest died on the way. Their children were those whom Joshua led to conquer and claim the land flowing with milk and honey. God tested them in the wilderness. They were put in circumstance after circumstance by God to see if they would repent of their stiff-necked resistance to His Lordship, and time after time they proved that they were temporal, fleshly people who did not trust Him. In this post we will look at a parallel between one of those circumstances and the condition of the Church in the early 21st Century. View article →

Stunned Cruz supporters ask: What happened?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

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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Dem AG Targets 90 Conservative Groups in Climate Change Racketeering Suit

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According to the The Washington Free Beacon:

The attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands is targeting dozens of conservative and libertarian organizations in a racketeering lawsuit against climate change skeptics that has been widely described as an effort to silence political opponents.

In a subpoena issued in March, the office of USVI attorney general Claude Walker demanded from Exxon Mobil copies of communications between the oil company and 90 different political and policy organizations “and any other organizations engaged in research or advocacy concerning Climate Change or policies.”

The subpoena was part of a national, coordinated legal campaign by state attorneys general and left-wing advocacy groups to use the legal system against companies and organizations that disagree with and advocate against Democratic policies to address global climate change.

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Bono meets Eugene Peterson

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙ , ,

Pastor Jim Jenkins penned “He still hasn’t found what he’s looking for” which can be read over at Herescope.  Jenkins informs us that “Fuller Seminary rolled out its inaugural video of a new media site FULLER studio. It is a 20-minute piece featuring Eugene Peterson, author of The Message Bible which sold 17,000,000 copies and the rock star Bono.”  Interesting choice of guests, as Bono is a professing Christian…who doesn’t believe in the Bible.  In The Message, Peterson distorts the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son (John 10:30 & John 14:28), deletes homosexuality from key passages (1 Cor 6:9-11 & 1 Tim 1:8-11) and does all sorts of other alterations.   For these reasons CRN does not recommend this “bible.”

Jenkins begins his piece:

Wolf 4

 

It’s entirely possible to look at something so long that you can’t really see it anymore. For years I have been calling people back to simple faith in the inerrancy of God’s Word. I’ve been patronized, mocked and more times than not, simply ignored.

I completed my doctorate at Fuller Seminary at the height of the Church Growth movement. I was exposed to all the marketing influence, the obsession with numerical growth of churches—and it was there that I was first introduced to the term “Progressive Christian.”

We were required to read the book Marketing the Church by George Barna. Some notables at Fuller at the time were C. Peter Wagner, Bob Logan, Carl George, and Eddie Gibbs. The message that permeated the core of the Doctor of Ministry Degree program was that the Church needed to be run as a business, and that the message needed to be contextualized against the backdrop of the culture.

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Are you amongst the termites?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “AS I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to ME, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this— not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. (Romans 14:10-13 NASB)

Without a doubt, there is a growing apostasy in the Church. One of the main reasons this is taking place is that the majority of professing Christians have adopted the pervasive attitude in modern Western culture that says authority to determine right and wrong resides in the individual. Combine this with a critical spirit in one person and we have one who not only believes that truth is whatever he or she determines it is, but they also seem to take great pleasure in hypocritically judging others just as our Lord commanded us not to do (Matthew 7:1-6). View article →

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

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

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.

Atheist Activist Group Objects to Public School Visits to Ken Ham’s Creation Museum

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

Christian News Network reports:

A professing atheist activist organization is expressing its objection to three public schools that either have already or plan to visit Ken Ham’s Creation Museum in Kentucky.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) recently sent letters to officials with Brookville High School in Dayton, Ohio, Jackson Independent School District in Kentucky, and the Big Beaver Falls School District in Pennsylvania to urge the cancellation of the trips to Petersburg.

“It is unconstitutional for a public school to take students on a field trip to a religious venue such as the Creation Museum, a Christian museum which promotes the religious doctrine of creationism and lists is mission as ‘to point today’s culture back to the authority of Scripture and proclaim the gospel message,’” the letters read.

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The authority of Jesus Christ and pulpit criminals

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 NASB)

Jesus Christ is Lord of all of each of His people, or He is not Lord at all. That is very sobering isn’t it? It is supposed to be. Those are Jesus Christ’s own words about the nature of those who are and are not His disciples. There are some in the pulpit these days who treat Jesus as if He is just an add-on to their ministries. Evangelism is a work of God as He “works” through His people to do the work He has ordained. The direction is Him working through us instead of us working and including Him. Consider this, many pastors and preachers and other “Christian leaders” would reject the idea that they are actually “career men” who simply include God in order to appear religious enough in order to be considered proficient. However, these same men are caught again and again not only using flip language about Christ, they also promote the same behavior amongst those who also want to become successful “career men” as preachers or theologians or “Christian leaders.” They may see what they are doing as career moves, but we must look at what they are doing from a much more serious viewpoint don’t we? To what extent does a degraded view of Jesus in “evangelical” churches start with pastors calling Jesus things like “dude” “homeboy,” “co-pilot,” “boss” and “buddy”? It’s not a far leap from these nicknames to say “Oh well, Jesus is just like me” on to “Well, maybe Jesus did sin like me” or “He was just a great man.” Dan Brown’s view of Jesus seems more likely to an unbeliever after hearing the name of Jesus being used this way by pastors doesn’t it?” Those “career men” who have bought into this are nothing more than pulpit criminals. View article →

Glenn Beck Invites America to Join Him in Another Fast

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From Berean Research:

Glenn Beck loves playing the role of America’s spiritual leader.  However, we must remember that Mr. Beck is a member in good standing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka Mormonism. Mormonism is a pseudo-Christian cult.  Glenn Beck makes no bones about the fact that he embraces LDS theology, which is decidedly unbiblical.  So is it really his place to advise evangelical Christians on spiritual matters, especially when it comes to fasting and prayer?

No.

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

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

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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“Spying Billboards” Under Fire for Tapping Into People’s Cellphones

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

ABC News has a piece by Michael Balsamo of Associated Press on a new way to collect data that lacks business ethics:

A U.S. senator is calling for a federal investigation into an outdoor advertising company’s latest effort to target billboard ads to specific consumers.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer has dubbed Clear Channel Outdoor Americas’ so-called RADAR program “spying billboards,” warning the service may violate privacy rights by tracking people’s cell phone data via the ad space.

“A person’s cellphone should not become a James Bond-like personal tracking device for a corporation to gather information about consumers without their consent,” Schumer, a Democrat, said in a statement ahead of a planned news conference Sunday in Times Square, where the company operates billboards.

View article 

Department of Education Releases List of Colleges Seeking Exemption From “Transgender” Law

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

Christian News Network reports:

While it is not known if the move was done due to the request of homosexual and transgender advocacy groups, the U.S. Department of Education has released a list of Christian identifying colleges and universities who have requested exemptions from a federal law that has recently been interpreted to pertain to homosexuality and transgenderism.

As previously reported, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) had released a statement earlier this year calling for the government to post the names of Christian colleges and universities nationwide that have requested an exemption from Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits educational institutions from discriminating against a person based on their gender.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance,” it reads.

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The rebellious ways of an unbelieving mind-set

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; (Ephesians 4:17-18 NASB)

Genuine Christianity is that which is within the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Christians are commanded to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) within that Lordship obeying our Lord as branches abiding in the True Vine (John 15). How do we practically do this? We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling presuppositionally, that is, with every thought, intent, and action taken captive to the will of God. We do this by approaching and living life with God at the center of all things instead of ourselves. In the passage above, (Ephesians 4:17-18) we see the opposite way to walk and the outcome of that. Unfortunately, that is how most professing believers approach this life, that is, in functional unbelief. View article →

Cold Hard Facts On Cults

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

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