Friday, November 23, 2007

Warren Smith on OPRAH AND 'A COURSE FOR MIRACLES'

Dear Readers and themicroeffect.com listeners:

Warren Smith joins us one half hour from posting this. Dennis Cuddy joins us Tuesday.

Please join us and stay tuned!

Constance

Reprinted with permission from:
HERESCOPE -- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER
09, 2007"
Oprah and Friends" To Teach Course on New Age Christ

By Warren Smith

Oprah Winfrey will be letting out all the stops on her XM Satellite Radio program this coming year. Beginning January 1, 2008, “Oprah & Friends” will offer a year-long course on the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles.1 A lesson a day throughout the year will completely cover the 365 lessons from the Course in Miracles “Workbook.” For example, Lesson #29 asks you to go through your day affirming that “God is in everything I see.”2 Lesson #61 tells each person to repeat the affirmation “I am the light of the world.”3 Lesson #70 teaches the student to say and believe “My salvation comes from me.”4
By the end of the year, “Oprah & Friends” listeners will have completed all of the lessons laid out in the Course in Miracles Workbook. Those who finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual mindset—a New Age worldview that includes the belief that there is no sin, no evil, no devil, and that God is “in” everyone and everything. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink everything they believe about God and life. The Course Workbook bluntly states: “This is a course in mind training”5 and is dedicated to “thought reversal.”6
Teaching A Course in Miracles will be Oprah’s longtime friend and special XM Satellite Radio reporter Marianne Williamson—who also happens to be one of today’s premier New Age leaders. She and Conversations with God author Neale Donald Walsch co-founded the American Renaissance Alliance in 1997, that later became the Global Renaissance Alliance of New Age leaders, that changed its name again in 2005 to the Peace Alliance. This Peace Alliance seeks to usher in an era of global peace founded on the principles of a New Age/New Spirituality that they are now referring to as a “civil rights movement for the soul.”7 They all agree that the principles of this New Age/New Spirituality are clearly articulated in A Course in Miracles—which is fast becoming the New Age Bible. So what is A Course in Miracles and what does it teach?
A Course in Miracles is allegedly “new revelation” from “Jesus” to help humanity work through these troubled times. This “Jesus”—who bears no doctrinal resemblance to the Bible’s Jesus Christ—began delivering his channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of Medical Psychology by the name of Helen Schucman. One day Schucman heard an “inner voice” stating, “This is a course in miracles. Please take notes.”8 For seven years she diligently took spiritual dictation from this inner voice that described himself as “Jesus.” A Course in Miracles was quietly published in 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. For many years “the Course” was an underground cult classic for New Age seekers who studied “the Course” individually, with friends, or in small study groups.
As a former New Age follower and devoted student of A Course in Miracles, I eventually discovered that the Course in Miracles was—in reality—the truth of the Bible turned upside down. Not having a true understanding of the Bible at the time of my involvement, I was led to believe that A Course in Miracles was “a gift from God” to help everyone understand the “real” meaning of the Bible and to help bring peace to the world. Little did I know that the New Age “Christ” and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles were everything the real Jesus Christ warned us to watch out for. In Matthew 24 Jesus warned about false teachers, false teachings and the false “Christs” who would pretend to be Him.
When I left the New Age “Christ” to follow the Bible’s Jesus Christ, I had come to understand that the “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles was a false “Christ,” and that his Course in Miracles was dangerously deceptive. Here are some quotes from the “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles:
“There is no sin. . . “9A “slain Christ has no meaning.”10“The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey.’”11“Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.’”12“The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol. . . . It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.”13“God is in everything I see.”14“The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.”15“The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power.”16“The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”17

Most Christians recognize that these teachings are the opposite of what the Bible teaches. In the Bible, Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross of Calvary was hardly a “useless journey.” His triumph on the cross provides salvation to all those who confess their sin, accept Him and follow Him as their Lord and Saviour. His victory on the cross rings throughout the New Testament. It has been gloriously sung about in beloved hymns through the ages and is at the heart of our Christian testimony. I found the Jesus of the Bible to be wholly believable as He taught God’s truth and warned about the spiritual deception that would come in His name. The “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles reveals himself to be an imposter when he blasphemes the true Jesus Christ by saying that a “slain Christ has no meaning” and that we are all “God” and that we are all “Christ.” It was by reading the Bible’s true teachings of Jesus Christ that I came to understand how deceived I had been by A Course in Miracles and my other New Age teachings.
I was introduced to A Course in Miracles by Dr. Gerald Jampolsky’s book Love is Letting Go of Fear. Jampolsky declared in his easy-to-read book how the teachings of A Course in Miracles had changed his life. As an ambassador for A Course in Miracles over the years, Jampolsky has been featured not only in New Age circles but at least twice on Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power. While Schuller introduced Jampolsky and his “fabulous”18 Course in Miracles-based books to his worldwide television audience, it was Marianne Williamson’s appearance on a 1992 Oprah Winfrey Show that really shook the rafters.
On that program, Oprah enthusiastically endorsed Williamson’s book, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles. Oprah told her television audience that Williamson’s book about A Course in Miracles was one of her favorite books, and that she had already bought a thousand copies and would be handing them out to everyone in her studio audience. Oprah’s endorsement skyrocketed Williamson’s book about A Course in Miracles to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Ironically, all of this was happening after I had left the Course and the New Age. In fact, I was doing the final editing on my book The Light That Was Dark that warned about the dangers of the New Age—and in particular A Course in Miracles.
After being introduced to the world on Oprah, Marianne Williamson has continued to grow in popularity and, as previously mentioned, has become one of today’s foremost New Age leaders. Williamson credits Winfrey for bringing her book about A Course in Miracles before the world: “For that, my deepest thanks to Oprah Winfrey. Her enthusiasm and generosity have given the book, and me, an audience we would never otherwise have had.”19 In her 2004 book, The Gift of Change, Williamson wrote: “Twenty years ago, I saw the guidance of the Course as key to changing one’s personal life; today, I see its guidance as key to changing the world. More than anything else, I see how deeply the two are connected.”20
Thus the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles are about to be taught by Marianne Williamson to millions of listeners on Oprah’s XM Satellite Radio program. Listeners are encouraged to buy A Course in Miracles for the year-long course. An audio version of A Course in Miracles recited by Richard (John Boy Walton) Thomas is also available on compact disc. Popular author Wayne Dyer told his PBS television audience that the “brilliant writing” of A Course in Miracles would produce more peace in the world.21 Williamson’s New Age colleague, Neale Donald Walsch, said his “God” stated that “the era of the Single Saviour is over”22 and that he (“God”) was responsible for authoring the teachings of A Course in Miracles.23 Meanwhile, Gerald Jampolsky’s Course in Miracles-based book, Forgiveness, continues to be sold in Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral bookstore as Schuller prepares to host a January 17-19, 2008, “Rethink Conference” at his Crystal Cathedral.24
At this critical time in the history of the world, the New Gospel/New Spirituality is coming right at the world and the church with its New Age teachings and its New Age Peace Plan. But this New Age Peace Plan has at its deceptive core the bottom-line teaching from A Course in Miracles that “we are all one” because God is “in” everyone and everything. But the Bible is clear that we are not God (Ezekiel 28:2; Hosea 11:9). And per Galatians 3:26-28, our only oneness is in Jesus Christ—not in ourselves as “God” and “Christ.” What Oprah and Marianne Williamson and the world will learn one day is that humanity’s only real and lasting peace is with the true Jesus Christ who is described and quoted in the Holy Bible (Romans 5:1).
Oprah Winfrey’s misplaced faith in Marianne Williamson and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles is a sure sign of the times. But an even surer sign of the times is that most Christians are not taking heed to what is happening in the world and in the church. We are not contending for the faith as the Bible admonishes us to do (Jude 3). It is time for all of our Purpose-Driven and Emerging church pastors to address the real issue of the day. Our true Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is being reinvented, redefined, and blasphemed right in front of our eyes and hardly anyone seems to notice or care. If we want the world to know who Jesus Christ is, we need to also warn them about who He is not. There is a false New Age “Christ” making huge inroads into the world and into the church. The Apostle Paul said that “it is a shame” we have to even talk about these things, but talk about them we must (Ephesians 5:12-16).
If people want to follow Oprah Winfrey and the New Age “Christ” of A Course in Miracles they certainly have that right. But let them be warned that the New Age “Christ” they are following is not the same Jesus Christ who is so clearly and authoritatively presented in the pages of the Bible.

Warren Smith is a former New Age follower who at one time was deeply involved in the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles. He is the author of The Light That Was Dark: From the New Age to Amazing Grace and Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. His book Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel is available free online at http://www.reinventingjesuschrist.com/

Endnotes:1. http://marianne.com/book/index/htm2. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume (Glen Ellen, California: Foundation for Inner Peace, 1975), (Workbook), p. 45.3. Ibid., p. 102.4. Ibid., p. 119.5. Ibid., (Text), p. 16.6. Ibid., (Preface), p. ix.7. Neale Donald Walsch, Tomorrow’s God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge (New York: Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, 2004), pp. 262-263.8. Robert Skutch, Journey Without Distance: The Story behind “A Course in Miracles” (Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, 1984), p. 54.9. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, (Workbook), p. 183.10. Ibid., (Text), p. 425.11. Ibid., p. 52.12. Ibid.13. Ibid., (Teachers Manual), p. 58.14. Ibid., (Workbook), p. 45.15. Ibid., (Text), p. 147.16. Ibid., p. 125.17. Ibid., p. 237.18. http://www.hourofpower.org/interviews/interviews_detail.cfm?ArticleID=307919. Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles A Course in Miracles (New York: Harper Perennial, 1996), p. ix.20. Marianne Williamson, The Gift Of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2004), p. 5.21. Wayne Dyer, “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem,” Public Broadcasting System broadcast in 2001.22. Neale Donald Walsch, The New Revelations: A Conversation with God (New York: Atria Books, 2002), p. 157.23. Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations with God: an uncommon dialogue, Book 1 (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1996), p. 90.24. http://www.rethinkconference.com/ (See also WorldNetDaily.com 10/30/07 “What is Robert Schuller ‘rethinking’?” by Joseph Farah and “Rethinking Robert Schuller” by Warren Smith. See also Herescope: "Rethinking Culture" and "Rethinking and Reinventing" (10/30/07)
posted by Discernment Research Group @ 11/09/2007 12:35:00 PM

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Constance:

Thank you for this and the previous article by Warren Smith and your continued vigilance.

The synchronistic reshaping of Christian theology is exploding. With key Evangelical institutions like BIOLA University, Moody Bible Institute, the Southern Baptist Convention, and many, many others endorsing contemplative spirituality, it's becoming hard to find an Evangelical organization that isn't promoting NA Mysticism.

With Solana pushing for Middle East peace in the next 9 months, the fast track push for the NAU, and the push for the EU treaty, we are rapidly evolving into the prophesied global order and moving toward our Lord's return. Things are picking up speed - hang on!

Dave from CA

Rich Peterson - Medford said...

Dave from CA

You are so very right in your assessment!

I have been sounding the drumbeat that we need to pay close attention to the activities related to 2008 EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue. This is a massive global campaign designed to pull together the common culture (the new age civilization). The campaign starts this month and has heavy Alliance of Civilizations' involvement.

I highly suspect that the timing of Oprah's efforts is not a coincidence. The division is happening now. The AoC is presently in implementation stage. I believe they will achieve their activation timeframe (mid 2009) early.

Anonymous said...

Full Text of Evangelical Letter To Muslims as seen on sliceoflaodicea


http://www.yale.edu/faith/abou-commonword.htm

Anonymous said...

Perhaps a useful addition to the literature on "miracles" can be my book, titled "SMALL MIRACLES" (by Askin Ozcan, ISBN 1598001000 -Outskirts Press) which relates the true stories of thirty very stunning incidents of small miracles.

http://www.outskirtspress.com/smallmiracles

The book also deals with bringing closer all the believers, in different religions of God.

SMALL MIRACLES was sent to His Holiness The Pope Benedictus XVI and was well received.

Reviews at :
www.newsblaze.com (books)
www.the.sop.org (religion)

Press release:

http://www.prlog.org/10038192-sure-way-to-world-peace.html

Askin Ozcan
Author

Alf Cengia said...

Askin, there's only ONE way to world peace & salvation and HE, THE WAY, is coming, whether this world believes it or not. And there is only ONE book that contains HIS Holy word.
In Christ,
mac

Anonymous said...

Drummer Rich!

"EU Intercult.Year 2008 and AoC"
it just happens, that I was asked to give a speech at the year's conference of IALIC (Internat. Association for Langues and Intercultural Communications).
And I had decided for exact this topic. Not sure they will publish me, but at least they will have heard about it. Btw. on occaison of a Int.summerconference for Lawstudents my presentation about the AoC was voted as the best presentation. So the young seem to have open ears. Let's pray that they stay open!

another link:
Euromed counterterrorism and AoC:
http://tinyurl.com/yoyo7c

plus please see also
ECFR-AoC at my blog.

farmer

Constance Cumbey said...

Dear Dave,

Thanks for your kind and insightful words.

Constance

Constance Cumbey said...

The MIRACLES posting was probably put there to publicize a New Age offering similar to THE SECRET. I'm guessing now, but I just purchased a video of a movie that just came out THE MAN FROM EARTH which is a shameless piece setting the world up to accept the Alice Bailey premise, "at no time did Christ leave the earth . . ." and works on making Christians look stupid.

The psychological preparation for the "New Order" seems to be accelerating!

Constance

Constance Cumbey said...

FARMER,

CONGRATULATIONS -- I HOPE WE CAN GET COPIES OF YOUR SPEECH/PRESENTATION AND THAT THEY HAVE EARS TO HEAR.

Missed you today on themicroeffect.com chatroom!

Constance

Rich Peterson - Medford said...

Farmer,

Interesting you should post this particular link at this time. Over the past weeks I've been reading thousands of pages on this topic.

Thanks for the post. I'm aiming to post on counter-terrorism early December.

Rich

Rich Peterson - Medford said...

Farmer,

I would like to read a copy of your speech also. I am glad to hear the youth are listening.

I've noticed lately that there are areas the Lord has simultaneiously directed multiple people's atention. If they can align, the Lord can align us also. After all, their many gods are outnumbered by our one God.

Rich

Constance Cumbey said...

Re the EU CFR: Javier Solana is to be its FIRST keynote speaker. Farmer has links on his blogspot (press on link at right of mine for "Farmer") and on a google search for FRIDE, I just found the following:

ECFR debate in Madrid
ECFR debates : ¿Qué Europa, qué mundo? Si Europa hablara con una sola voz
On 3 December, the first ECFR-FRIDE public event in Madrid will begin with a keynote speech by Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for CFSP. This will be followed by a panel discussion on Europe’s role in the world featuring Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for International Trade and Europe, Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister, Diego Hidalgo, President of FRIDE, Mark Leonard, ECFR's Executive Director, as well as Alberto Navarro, Spanish State Secretary for Europe and Mabel van Oranje, International Advocacy Director at the Open Society Institute. The discussion will be moderated by Aurora Mínguez, Berlin correspondent of Radio Nacional de España.
This event is on invitation only. For enquiries please contact ECFR's Madrid office: tel. +34 91 2444740; email: madrid@ecfr.eu

Pasted from

http://www.ecfr.eu/content/entry/madrid_conference/

Anonymous said...

Congrats, Farmer! Also look forward to reading your speech.

Have a nice day.

A fellow watchwoman

Anonymous said...

Impressive. The anonymous is definitely off farmer.

Dorothy

rapidblog said...

Go here For Cheap Oprah's book club items!

Anonymous said...

rapidblog said...
Go here For Cheap Oprah's book club items!
8:33 PM

WHY???

Anonymous said...

I agree with your assessment!! It is good that you noticed that !!

Long time ago I came in contact with Gerald Jampolsky books, actually through one Christian church bookshop. I actually didn't have much problem with these human relation and positive views as most of them correspond to my believes that I already as Christian had. In that book Gerald Jamplosky explained his issues with Christian "terminology" like "God", as he was not Christian. I could understand that too. As you know in our Christian communities nowdays and through whole history you also can meet people and movements who use word God and all other Christian words and concepts more to build own EGO than follow Jesus. So basically I didn't have problem with anything there except one small detail that I will explain below.

I also recently attended one of these courses that are based on the same origins. It was held in Sweden by famous Swedish film director Kay Pollak. His "As It Is in Heaven" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and as I like him as film director and liked that film, I was interested what he has to say, having no idea that it is about same origins that I was familiar with. Course was good with lot of fun and Kay did it in positive way. I think that such courses can help some people to really reconsider some basic mistakes we all do in our human relations with other people. So again I didn't see any big issues, as I automatically set it in context of my believes that didn't put myself but Jesus in the centre. However I noticed and bit considered the fact when Kay pointed that all this, what means to be free, happy, and with love, that all this have nothing with God to do, but it is about us alone. On the other hand I interpreted that in positive way too: I know that if Kay would mention God, half people might loose interest, as Sweden is secularized and religion terms are not familiar here and might be interpreted in quite opposite context. So again, same as Gerald Jampolsky books, based on the fact that I'm Christian who has Jesus as the teacher, I incorporated Kay Pollak seminar without a problem, on the level of human relations. Anyhow all the time I was fully aware of potential big issues here for people who are not formed Christians with trust in Jesus.

An issue with all this is that most or many things from these courses are quite truth (almost taken from Christian spiritual experience through 2000 years) except one "small detail". It can turn into EGO self-salvation without Jesus. This little fact can turn everything upside down in a second, as we know that EGO is not good shepherd for the journey, and we know history of consequences with him as the only drive. It is very easy to see, for Christians or at least those with authentically Christian experiences, but I guess generally it can be impossible to see, specially for people without such experiences. I'm not even sure that Kay Pollak himself can notice that, if he has no authentically Christian experiences. He might just be doing good job in good believe to help people in a good way.

One detail, maybe not important, I noticed with this NA movements that they sometimes avoid to refer to the origins they use, and that is the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles or some interpretation of it.I noticed that also in Kay Pollak's books sold on seminar I didn't see references to original texts that are used. However, I took it in positive way too, as Kay mention internet links over which it is possible to come to origins. I don't know why these people sometimes do not simple reference origins but more speak about "Once upon the time I had experience with origins.." but origins are not named. I think as they are speaking about same thing they should always refer to the origin, at least in books. Maybe they think in live seminar it is less important as it can put attention of people in wrong way. I don't know. By the way, Gerald G Jampolsky referred to right origin in his book.

To conclude, I look like this: people are anyhow on the way of discovering, and learning about all dimensions of the truth, including us who do it together with Jesus and on his way. These New Age teachings is just one station for some people, similar as any other station offered to us every day. Maybe it can be even good station. We know that many stations we see on the way are much more misleading, but I believe that all what happens is in our Lord loving hands, and has it's meaning. 2000 years experience told us, any teaching without Holy Spirit support is not deep river, and with most people disappear two hours or 2 days later. Even 70 years or bit more later disappear all movements and any teaching of any kind if driven by EGO and not by the Holly Spirit.... On the other hand with the Holly Spirit support they stay. I pray for all people to find their own "Way, Truth and Life". I found mine in Jesus and don't seek others, but I support with love all other trials, even wrong once, as I'm sure sincere seekers will find right at the end.
As St. Augustin said: "Peace-less is the heart, before finding peace in Creator of the heart".

We all experienced how sometimes our Lord can use even wrong things to make good. Note that in the begging it was just St. Mary and St. John under the cross, who partly understood what happens. After 2000 years there are anyhow quite some more who do, independent of all circumstances. And it is not based on almighty EGO and his smart drive for or against ego himself, but on the Holly Spirit humble love.
Peace with You !!!

Batala said...

I forgott Blogger identity to send,
so here it is.

A Knight of St. Michael said...

Constance,
You probably won't remember me but we did a cable television together many years ago called 'Return of the Christ, Dawn of a New Age'. It is great to hear that you are still out there as you are one of the first people I can remember to warn the world about the New Age Movement.
I interviewed you about your 'new' book Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow.
I am still here as well and my blog site is called A New Knighthood and should you care to check it out, here is the link:
http://anewknighthood.blogspot.com/
My take on the Course In Miracles and Obama is slightly different as I also include a piece on the Strong Delusion sent by God to fool, if possible, the very elect, and then tie it in with a 'sign' in the heavens, the Comet Holmes!
Hope you and your family are well.

Batala said...

If you haven't read Pope Benedict XVI's new encyclical, here it is. It addressed things we touch upon here in best way, I think.

http://romancatholicblog.typepad.com/roman_catholic_blog/2007/12/pope-benedict-x.html

Anonymous said...

In Barnaba's Bible (one copy at the
Louvre, one copy at Vatican) Jesus tells prople in Ethiopia "Next saviour
will be "Ahmed" referring to Mohammed.Koran is a miracle of God and contains God' s holy word
Also.

ابو السيد said...


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بافضل انواع العالميه التى تحافظ على السيراميك

شركة

الكمال



شركة تنظيف بالطائف

شركة

تنظيف فلل بالطائف

شركة تنظيف بجازان


شركة تنظيف فلل بجازان



شركة تنظيف بحائل



شركة تنظيف فلل بحائل

ونحن فى خدماتكم اربعه وعشرون ساعه وكل هذا بافضل الاسعار واقل التكلفة

خدمات منزليه said...

شركة الحورس لخدمات مكافحة الحشرات الخطيرة معظمنا يعلم ان الحشرات تساعد علي نقل الامراض المعدية بين الناس,فقد اهتمنا بهذا الموضوع من اجل سلامة صحة العميل
لاجل هذا قد بحثنا عن المبيد الفعال المؤثر للقضاء علي انواع الحشرات بتاتا
شركة رش مبيدات بالطائف
شركة نقل اثاث وعفش بالطائف
شركة تنظيف بالطائف
من اول رشة نفضي علي جميع الحشلرات الموجود بالمنزل ونضمن لكم عدم عودتها مرة اخري
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالطائف
شركه كشف تسربات المياه بالطائف
شركة تنظيف خزانات بالطائف

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