Thursday, May 25, 2006
Dealing with A Saint that ain't
My dear friend, Liz Collins, left this world in late Spring, 2005. While she was living, she was one of my strongest supporters on New Age Movement issues. Liz and Bob Collins were devout Catholics and Liz was deeply concerned about New Age infiltration of the Roman Catholic Church. I probably could have written several more books in the time that Liz took me places to put out individual fires at local Catholic institutions. I was always afraid that I would end up being arrested as I accompanied Liz who would ask a seemingly naïve question of the New Age presenter and be put down as unschooled in theology. Of course, I would always get up thereafter and give them a sophisticated piece of my mind before we both left. I would feel bad about the approach, had not so many approached me in later years and thanked me for being there and saying what I did. "You said exactly what I needed to hear," said one woman who had been an enthusiastic devotee of the Matthew Fox/Thomas Stanks line before coming to see it for what it was -- a soul trap. Liz was a former Pan American Airlines hostess, was fluent in both English and German, and had a degree in home economics. She flew Pan American’s international skies in the 50’s before she and Bob married and raised their six beautiful children.
Liz expressed frequent concerns to me about an alleged new “saint,” an alleged Greek Orthodox, Vassula Ryden, a "former Sheraton Hotel model, former tennis champion of Bangladesh and fluent in four languages, one of which was Arabic. She claimed Jesus was frequently giving her direct messages.
Now I have to tell you that practicing law in the metropolitan Detroit area, there is no second language more useful than Arabic. The little I know, I speak VERY WELL and I can read and write a smattering of it. If I were to have a full-immersion experience, I’m sure I could be fully functional in it in very little time. It was a Jewish attorney who gave me the key to unlocking it. Elliot Perlman said to me, “the key to learning Arabic is its alphabet. Unlike English, it is pronounced exactly as written. There are only 28 letters in that alphabet and it is strictly phonetic.” I had a client, from Egypt, who knew no English. At that time (1990), I knew no Arabic. We both knew one extremely helpful French phrase, “qu’est-ce que c'est?” (What is that”.) Through that he introduced me to Arabic and I introduced him to English equivalents. The handy-dandy language tapes helped with a good share of the rest, as well as my various Arabic clients who were thrilled to help me discover their language which to my delight was arranged in logical clusters. I practiced it every chance I got, which was often given Detroit’s large Arabic population.
Now, about the time that I was practicing this and trying it out on my English speaking friends, including Liz and Bob Collins, Liz approached me with news that Orchard Lake Seminary was bringing Vassula Ryden to town. Liz and friend Tom McGlynn were concerned that there might be New Age aspects to her work. I was busy practicing law and didn’t want to take the time to look. Liz and Tom prepared a flyer based on their own studies and placed flyers on cars at Orchard Lake Seminary the night Vassula was speaking, also, as I recall sometime in the earlier 1990’s. Liz called me with the disturbing news that she had almost been arrested, but the organizers of Vassula’s talk had invited Liz to their Lathrup Village home to personally meet Vassula.
Liz Collins and Tom McGlynn naturally wanted me to be part of that expedition. I wasn’t so sure. For one thing, it was to happen on a Saturday – my day off – the day I tried to forget I had ever been an attorney and just take care of things at home – the day that has saved my sanity for the past 17 years. I finally, however, reluctantly agreed to go.
The day was a very cold and wet rainy April one. I met Liz and Tom at a now closed restaurant called Vassili’s. We had pre-meeting talks and took one car from there to the Vassula Ryden gathering. I was not happy about my day off being disturbed for anything short of the Second Coming itself. I griped openly, “Vassula Ryden says she can speak Arabic. I’ve got a good notion to speak to her in Arabic. If she doesn’t understand me, you don’t have to worry about the authenticity of her spirituality – she’s a garden variety fraud!”
We walked into the lovely and spacious Lathrup Village home. The “Saint” was wearing slacks and had straight long light brown hair. She professionally shook hands with all who entered in a reception line type setting. Liz shook her hand and waited for me. Tom McGlynn then shook her hand and waited for me. It was my turn. I used the Arabic phrase for “I’m very pleased to meet you.” Immediately, Vassula Ryden said, “what language is that?” I did an aside to Tom and Liz and said, “she doesn’t know what language I’m speaking.” I used increasingly common phrases in any Arabic dialect (trust me, we have them all in this metropolitan Detroit region). Finally, I said one of the most common of all which transliterates something like “Sabbah al’hier” (good morning). Vassula said to me, “you’re driving me crazy – what language is that?”
I said, “You don’t know.” “No,” she replied. “Arabic,” I said.
A clearly taken by surprise Vassula Ryden said, “my friend over there speaks Arabic. She can tell me if you’re speaking Arabic or not.” I said to her, "well, I thought from all your advance publicity that you'd be able to tell me that for yourself." She repeated, "my friend speaks Arabic, she can tell me if you're speaking Arabic or not. I dutifully went to her friend who was standing very near by and undoubtedly heard our conversation. As I recall her name may have been called “Mrs. Mansour.” I greeted her and then introduced myself in Arabic, told her where I was from, what my occupation was and where I was currently living.” She turned to Vassula and said, “yes, she is speaking Arabic.”
I went into the living room where her faithful were gathered along with us three skeptics. A sweet old priest who was familiar with my work against the New Age Movement greeted me and said he had gotten his sister out of the New Age Movement, thanks in part to my books and thanks in part to the writings of Vassula Ryden.” I said to him in the least abruptful way I could, “the New Age Movement can take many forms.” I then asked Vassula Ryden, “what United Nations agency employs your husband?” She said, “Are you interrogating me?” I said, “I guess you could say that.” She said, “Well, I’m not going to tell you.” I said, “yes, and you speak fluent Arabic too.” She said, “I couldn’t understand your dialect.” I told her I was speaking the dialect she claimed to know, pure Egyptian Arabic.
I denounced her as a fraud and left. The story of the confrontation quickly made the local circuits. My friends claim I was mumbling as I left (not sure I remember), “I wonder why God let me learn Arabic so easily – I had so much trouble with college French.”
A few years later I had the privilege (1994) of meeting author E. Michael Jones. He had interestingly noted the problems with Vassula Ryden in his book on Medjujorge claimed apparitions. He noted the obvious theological errors and said that Mrs. Mansour, who may well have been the same lady I earlier met in Lathrup Village, said that the errors may have existed because Arabic was Vassula Ryden’s primary language and “that perhaps in the transliteration . . .” I told E. Michael Jones what I had learned – from my observation, Vassula Ryden did not know as much as a word of Arabic.
Liz’ husband, Bob Collins, said, “you should have challenged her to a game of tennis, too” (Referring to her claims that she was a former tennis champion for the Nation of Bangladesh.)
I guess being a saint and selling lots of books to the faithful is good retirement work for aging Sheraton Hotel models. Frankly, I would invest my heavenly aspiration resources elsewhere than in Vassula Ryden books. I looked at her website this morning and saw that she claims the present pope is rethinking the position he took on her when he headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He was right the first time and I hope he stands firm! Oh, and if you are curious about this lady, be sure to google her and her website can be located by pressing on the headline above.
The Peace Gold Award 2003
Vassula receives the "Atisha Dipankar & Visuddhananda Peace Gold Award" on Feb. 26th, 2003 in Bangladesh
Inter-Religious Speech by Vassula
Delivered at the Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha at Dharmarjika (Buddhist Monastery) on February 23, 2003
Vassula in Bangladesh, 21-25 May 2002
An account of this 4-day trip where Vassula speaks to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians
Meeting in Benin, Africa with Voodoo Chiefs
Heads of various traditions, mainly voodoo, invited to hear Vassula speak at this meeting
Meeting at a Buddhist Temple in Hiroshima
An account of this meeting on Aug. 4, 1999
Recognizably Jewish
Sister Seraphim, a hermit nun living in Holywell, Wales, UK, looks at 'True Life in God' on the basis of her rabbinical studies to which she has been drawn for many years
I suppose she will say she went to all these places to "evangelize" -- but then again with her claims that Jesus told her not to read the Bible ...
http://focusonjerusalem.com/maryapparitions.html
http://www.apparitions.org/#disapproval
Vassula seems to be on the disapproved list.
http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9504b&L=apar-l&D=1&T=0&P=6884
Check out the evaluation of her claims here:
http://www.catholicplanet.com/apparitions/index.htm
It is quite long and detailed, starting with her belief that she married Jesus, though she calls him father.
Another list:
http://members.aol.com/UticaCW/Mar-vis.html
http://www.arulnathan.com/mother.html
Another list, this time with a rating system.
I'm not picking on Catholics. I'm sure there is much overlap in these lists. It just that the lists are so long that after a while there is nothing special in another apparition.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/13228/
L-A--Cathedral-Disinvites-Christian-Unity-Event
which is current as of January. It says the Vatican's position hasn't changed.
Almost all of the endorsements of her works are given with initials and not full names. They remind me of scam artist testimonials as in "John McAffie's ointment cured me of cancer...M.C. Toronto."
Almost all of the testimonials are dated in the 1990s which suggests that was the heyday of her cult.
Clare Monsour, according to this site, has a history of involvement with other cults.
http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/ClaireMonsour.htm
Under Eastern Mysticism books at
http://www.rbookshop.com you will find one of her books.
Do the cult search mentioned above. It contains a lot of good information on the cult aspects of that group. As Constance noted earlier, there is a lot of money to be made on the lecture circuit, the selling of books, and donations to the cult leader as well as money to be made by towns where "apparitions" have taken place.
Like a few thousand others, Vassula is probably doing channeling as other New Age people have done. Who was it that said "There's a sucker born every minute?"
http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook
/2006/01/if_hed_just_rea.html#comments
The 47 comments are very informative regarding the Pope's comments on the woman.
I must be getting jaded. I find myself glancing at your testimony on Vassula Ryden throught the day when I feel like laughing.
RichInMedford
Sorry you wasted a good Saturday, Constance. Plant some flowers this weekend and relax. I'll seeya at Wojo's.
RichInMedford
http://mypage.bluewin.ch/cafarus/tligchurchposition.htm#Archdiocese
Interestingly, Rick Warren also talks about love in the "Purpose-Driven Life" and "Better Together" (this book goes along with the 40 Days of Community). The Holy Spirit is also quite absent from Warren's love discussion. In "Better Together" he uses the famous II Corinthians passage to remind us Christians we need to be loving. Well, duh! Of course, Warren has the formula to make us more loving.
Like Vassula Ryden, "God" spoke to Rick Warren, which was his initial inspiration to start his ministry at Saddleback Church and his Purpose-Driven (a trademark name)campaigns. To Warren's credit "God" didn't tell him not to read the Bible. Instead he reads every English version available. He even encourages people to memorize scripture, which most Christians can agree with. However, people don't have to struggle with trying to understand what the scriptures say (which is hard to do when you bounce from one version to the next). Warren provides an outline and gives all the answers, so he does all the thinking for you. How nice. Oddly, the King James Version is always his least quoted version. Rick Warren's discussions on love sure sound similar to Vassula Ryden's. Hmmm!
I found an interesting site that explains why people like me have felt quite uneasy during Rick Warren's original 40 Days of Purpose and his sequel, 40 Days of Community. Check it out!
http://www.scripturevisuals.org/
40dayscloser.html
http://www.unitypublishing.com/
Apparitions/ClaireMonsour.htm
However, it is the same person as Unity Publishing is a Catholic press that seeks to expose charlatans running under the Catholic banner. Interesting reading there. Here is another article on the topic, Mansour spelling, same publisher.
http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/Vassula.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/
europe/5023788.stm
From article “Neoliberal Globalisation and the Militarization of the European Union” by Jurgen Wagner
“Until 2009, all member countries have to approve the draft. But in some countries – especially in Ireland and Great Britain – where a national referendum has to accept the constitution, it is far from certain that the population will do so.
“SO WE STILL HAVE 5 YEARS LEFT TO FIGHT AGAINST IT!”
http://www.hereditasmagazine.com/easter_2005/
wilderness.html
Re wrote this regarding Malachi Martin.
Interviewer: "I corresponded with noted author and priest Malachi Martin in 1998. He said that the Evil One is assaulting the Church, but he won't win. Who was Fr. Martin, and what was your connection with him? Were there suspicious circumstances regarding his death?
Rick: I also corresponded with Malachi Martin a great deal in the last years of his life. We agreed on some things and on some things we did not. However, when he died, (all his close friends feel he was killed and so do I), people tried to sabotage his web site and have him say things that he never said. They intimidated his webmaster in an attempt to take over the site, so I bought it and kept it exactly as he left it, without any changes. The book he was writing at the time was stolen."
Malachi Martin's last published book was fiction based on revealing the underside of the Catholic Church. He used fictional names but anyone could recognize the real person. The book was called Windswept House. His next book was to be a full expose.
Everyone should realize that all religious groups have been infiltrated by New Age/pagan/occult thinking. It's only natural that Jews trust Jews, Catholics trust other Catholics, Baptists trust other Baptists and so on. The New Agers use that trust against us.
The International Baccaloriate Organization program is not being brought into the Crete-Monee, Illinois school district because there is such a surplus of brilliant students. On the contrary, for five years the school didn't meet the standards set by the No Student Left Behind program, i.e., slow learners.
Looking over a list of the schools were IBO curriculum has been brought into schools in Illinois (you can look up your state or country's involvement), it appears that this program has gone into ultra-liberal schools and disadvantaged schools. Parents of children in the latter schools are more easily talked into experimental programs because they probably have no idea of what is happening on the international level of the New Age movement.
Anyway, take a look at the credentials of the teachers being used to set up the program at Crete-Monee.
http://www.cm201u.org/documents/
MagnetSchoolParentNightBrochure.pdf
Look at the favorite books. This is not high level academia.
I would hope anyone reading this and interested in the spread of the New Age take time to see how it is developing at the education level by doing some searches.
"Don't know author's name or of his new book but it's about the U.S. Dept of Commerce, I think he said Department of Commerce SSP@AOL.gov, something like that. Heard him on talk radio. Seems there are several agreements, meetings, whatever, going on below the radar so the subject won't attract attention before it's well-formed re creating a Nafta expanded amalgamation of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.It would have similar currency to eurodollars, a court that would supercede the U.S. Supreme Court, etc.It would happen within 20 years.
It would reflect the shared vision of Bush and VIncente and I don['t know who in Canada. It would certainly explain Bush's recalcitrant attitude toward illegal immigration since if that's his long-range vision he wouldn't like do much about tightening our borders if they were planned to become almost invisible.And Bush certainly does seem inclined in that direction from all appearances."
I think we are on the same track as European countries are, increasing involvement in the European Union in spite of continuous problems that are upsetting countries' economies and culture.
He said that some people were given difficult lives to live because they were at the college level of moral development and so their lessons were harder. Those who are to learn college level moral understanding are given harder hurdles to overcome. Some pass the tests. Some fail. Just as in the universities in our secular culture. This understanding helped me to overcome jealousy of those who have been given a much better life than I have had to live. Everyone's starting pattern is in God's hand.
So what does this have to do with the New Age movement? I see the New Age ramifications as major temptations to ignore basic morality we are to implement.
Read these two stories, one sent to me by a friend. The first story talk about how abortions are being performed in the UK on less than perfect babies.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=388114&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id
=1770&ct=5&expand=true#StartComments
The second story is about an extreme case of someone who was not aborted.
http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/
There are other websites on this man. The challenge his parents faced is overwhelming. Because they faced it, many others have been given inspiration to to face their problems.
Not every case leads to such spectacular results. Many times parents face overwhelming problems in dealing with their children who are not perfect specimins by society's standards. But we never will know where these difficult cases have inspired others to make it and improve on the human condition.
I can only hope that those who read this will grow morally, not something that will happen if they buy into the New Age system of one world religion and one world government.
If you haven't checked out information on the International Baccalaureate Organization program for schools, you should. ibo.org
"Founded in 1968, we currently work with 1,827 schools in 124 countries to develop and offer three challenging programmes to more than 200,000 students aged 3 to 19 years."
Putting in "International Baccalaureate Organization" and "New Age" bring up many articles on the topic. One is
http://www.therant.us/staff/nsalvato/
how_secular_is_new_age_education.htm
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/IBO.htm
is pretty clear on the New Age connection even though I don't endorse all of the author's other writings.
RichInMedford
Now you're catching on! Javier Solana's genius is convincing everybody he is their BEST FRIEND. If he's talking to the EU countries, he is their shield and defense against the wicked USA. If he's talking to George Bush and Condoleezza Rice, he's "our European ally." If he's talking to Israel, he's their friend. If he's talking to the Arabs, he's their best friend. That is precisely the danger -- you can't really know where he's coming from, except that he appears to be 'waxing great against the East (Russia, Balkans), against the South (African, Mediterranean countries), and against 'the Pleasant Land.' (Israel)
"come, pray, fast, read My Word, receive Me in Holy Communion, pray the Rosary, adore Me" (TLIG aug. 24, 1989) read My Word, means read Scriptures! So, Jesus NEVER told Vassula not to read the Bible, He told her TO Read Scripture Daily!!
"I tell you solemnly, that I desire prayers coming from the heart; I desire you to pray for all the bishops and priests, I desire you to listen to all the teachings of those who represent Me; I desire you to fast and do penitence; I desire you to receive My Holy Eucharist as often as you can; I desire you to go to Confession at least once a month; I desire you to read daily a part out of Scriptures, I desire you to repair for others by sacrificing, I desire them to pray the Rosary and if possible all three Mysteries" (TLIG Feb. 9, 1990)
To see the update from the CDF go here: http://www.tlig.org/en/testimonies/churchpos/
You may want to get your facts straight before you slandering people!
1. How do you spell "cult" - C-U-L-T?
2. How do you spell "fraud" - F - R - A - U - D ?
3. How do you spell G - U - L - L - I - B - L - E
I will pray for you that the Lord will grant you the grace to hear His words in these messages for our time which is a call to return to our real foundations. They are a call to reconcile with one another, for Christian Unity, for a devotion to our Blessed Mother, obedience to the Pope, devotion to the Eucharist, daily repentance and He is revealing the riches of His Sacred Heart which He promised He would do in times when the love of many have grown cold. He said that to Saint Gertrude the Great.
In Christ's Love
A
I came to her site from google and
I started reading it. It did not make sense many things what she was saying. It was like she was repeating lot of words. It did not touch my soul so I said this got to be fake. So I googled her name and came across "Dealing with A Saint that ain't" and then I knew she was fake for sure. Only God's words can touch our hearts.
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour."
Vassula does not take a penny for the several hundreds thousand ore more True Life in God books that have been sold in more than 40 languages and around the world. Can you tell me another person, who had a chance to make millions of dollars from this, decided not to? Decided that it was more important to live by the command that Jesus gave her ... "I have freely given, now you freely give."
Real instruments of God are always persecuted. You're doing a wonderful job if it. Just remember that it is not Vassula that you are persecuting, but Jesus.
If she left Egypt at the age of 15 that tells me she does speak some Arabic...maybe your Arabic is bad!!
ALL your other LIES have been EXPOSED by others here.
I don't know Vassoula, never met her, I'm new to her claims they sound LEGIT to me so far and are inline with the BIBLE.
Some1 who knows the Lord and Loves the Truth.
May GOD bless you / Repent!!
ΙΧΘΥΣ
Α†Ω
Constance
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