my friend sent this today (thanks, kelley):
2Co 11:3 -
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity {of devotion} to Christ.
Ga 6:7 -
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
2Ti 3:13 -
But evil men and impostors will proceed {from bad} to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
it's pretty alarming. i read a few of the comments on the youtube post. i loved the ones that just quoted scripture--no need to "win" the debate, just send out the Word of God to do its work.
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15, 16 (NIV)
Hey dear!
ReplyDeleteI have you down for 2 blogs! I look forward to it! :)
Hi Christina - my d-i-l, Margaret sent me the link to this post. Thanks so much for putting it up. I am glad that to see that Christians are exposing this for what it is. I have been reading the book and watching the web casts in order to know what people are being led into by this whole thing, and so I can "be ready with an answer," but it is making my heart really heavy; don't know if I can finish. Thanks for spreading the word.
ReplyDeleteHey Cristina! I added the video to my blog as well. Hope you don't mind, but I wanted to show it, too. Thanks so much for sharing this!
ReplyDeletei think being aware it's out there is good. getting too informed about it, may be another issue. i see the appeal to provide an informed argument, but here's my stance:
ReplyDeletewith anything that is NOT truth, our "job" is to know God's Word so well that when this (or anything contrary to what God has already said) comes up, then we are ready to refute the lie by stating truth.
i appreciate the analogy of how they teach (not sure WHO they're teaching, bank tellers?) about spotting counterfeit money, they have them study the real thing--all the markings and such.
it would be exhausting to know the ins and outs of all the cults and quasi-Christian stuff out there. but we CAN know the genuine article so that the counterfeit can be spotted immediately.
debra, i wouldn't finish it. it's oppressive to your spirit--and it's distracting you. seek God, immerse yourself in His Word, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you, and when the time comes, He will equip you with what you need to give an answer.
ronda, i certainly don't mind you posting it. this is even on my radar because of your post. i'm usually quite clueless--don't watch news or read the paper. so, thank YOU. :)
Cristina (sorry for the misspell earler), thanks for your input. I was feeling much oppression in my spirit, but more so from reading the input of the followers of this stuff on the message boards at O's website than from the book/"class" itself. I find it fairly easy to see the lies in the book and in what Oprah has to say; watching very cynically, I have not found "observing" to be a spiritual danger for myself, but I would definitely not recommend it to all. I do believe some Christians need to be informed to help those who may be deceived and led astray because they are not well-grounded in the faith. I started it only after a lot of prayer and reliance on the gift of discernment from the Holy Spirit. I put the whole thing aside for the past week and have spent much time in prayer and Bible study. As of this evening, I feel led to take on one more chapter, will see where God leads with the rest.
ReplyDeleteBut I won't go near the message boards again. The presence of Satan is definitely there, and I feel warned in my spirit to stay away. Maybe I feel it more there because of the many voices spewing hatred and mockery toward Christians and the Bible, and they cannot be reasoned with even in love. That part is oppressive to the point of my feeling extremely fearful of the evil presence I sense residing there, and thus it is not a place I need to be.
I am putting on the "full armour of Christ" before any further reading or watching, as a dear friend exhorted me to do. Thanks again for your concern - it is not taken lightly!
BTW, in reading some of the other posts on your blog, I feel we are somewhat kindred spirits, ie, overwhelmed with clutter and the realization that it is weighing me down in my Christian walk, the "slippery slope", etc. I will be checking back to see what you are discovering!
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ReplyDeleteCristina!
ReplyDeleteOh so good. Thanks for sharing this! My friend Heather wrote about it as well...check out her post at
http://allthingshendrick.blogspot.com/
2008/04/oprah-study.html
or just
allthingshendrick.blogspot.com
It's so assuring to know that we cling to an UNMOVABLE ROCK. He is NOT shaken by their deceit...He even longs to draw them out of it and He IS jealous for their affections! Praise Him!
Sally
P.s. I deleted the previous comment bc the link didn't fit.