Introduction

Increasingly, cremation is being used in the United States instead of burial. In 1962 only 5% of Americans were cremated. But, as modern culture moves away from Christianity and toward secularism, cremation is becoming much more popular. In fact, it is being popularized in modern culture and got a big boost in Star Wars I with the cremation scene at the end of that movie. In fact, recent figures say that more than 25% of the people who die are cremated. Many are motivated by the lesser expense. Others do it because they do not believe in the resurrection of the body. Still others do it because they do not know the roots of cremation. Still others have no choice, because that is the instructions that the family member left or what the others in the family decide to do.

My purpose in this study is not to call reproach on anyone, but rather to acquaint you with what the Bible teaches about the care for the dead and why I do not support cremation. Hence the title – Cremation or Burial – That Is The Question!

The Definition of Cremation

Here are the definitions I have found –

CREMATION comes from cremātus which means to burn to ashes.

n. [L., to burn.] A burning; particularly, the burning of the dead, according to the custom of many ancient nations. (Webster, 1828)

Others of modern origin say, To incinerate (a corpse); to reduce (a dead body) to ashes by fire, esp. as a funeral rite.

The Ancient Origin of Cremation

Cremation is a practice of ancient pagan origin. It was one of the ceremonies involved in ancient fire worship. In an article entitled, “Cremation,” the Encyclopedia Americana states: “In primitive cultures [that] have survived into modern times cremation is widely practiced. Burning is not only supposed to destroy the dead body most effectively and thus prevent the possible return of the ghost, but since fire serves also as a purifying [agent], it is often considered a good means of warding off evil spirits…Besides discouraging the ghost from haunting the corpse and its former abode, and serving as a means of purification from evil spirits and the contamination associated with the dead body, cremation has also, in some instances…been associated with a belief in a heavenly abode for the spirit of the deceased. The flames of the funeral pyre, leaping upward, are thought to facilitate the ascent of the soul.”
(www.thercg.org/questions/p035.a.html)

“Cremation is a heathen custom, meaning a practice of people who do not have the Bible, or else have rejected its authority.” (Cremation – What Does God Think by David Cloud)

In The History of Cremation the author states, “Scholars today quite generally agree that cremation probably began in any real sense…around 3000 B.C. and most likely in Europe and the Near East. By the time of the Roman Empire – 27 B.C. to 395 A.D. – it was widely practiced.” He goes on to say, that though the practice was prevalent among the Romans, “cremation was rare with the early Christians who considered it pagan.” He notes that the Jewish culture buried in sepulchers.

Please note this statement from the same article – “By 400 A.D., as a result of Constantine’s Christianization of the Empire, earth burial had completely replaced cremation except for rare instances of plague or war…as the accepted mode of disposition throughout Europe.”
(www.everlifememorials.com)

The Modern Origin of Cremation In America

“The first cremation in America took place in 1876, accompanied by readings from Charles Darwin and the Hindu scriptures. For many years, relatively few persons (mostly liberals and freethinkers) chose cremation.” (Good Question:Cremation Confusion by Timothy George; Christianity Today Magazine; 5-21-02)

The 1877 Appleton’s Annual Cyclopedia stated that the first crematory erected in the United States was in Washington, Pennsylvania, where the body of Baron de Palm was reduced to ashes and placed in a Hindu urn. The article went on to say, “It [cremation] is opposed by ministers of most religious denominations, a large number of whom believe it to indicate a belief inconsistent with the doctrine of the resurrection of the body.”

The practice of cremation is clearly of heathen origin.

Cremation (burning with fire) Is a Sign of God’s Curse and Judgment

Throughout the Bible the destruction of a human body or of an object by fire is used as a sign of God’s curse and judgment. Consider with me some examples:

Sodom and Gomorrah – “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven” Genesis 19:24 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly” 2 Peter 2:6

Nadab and Abihu – “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Leviticus 10:1-2

The men who rebelled with Korah – “And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense” Numbers 16:35

The example of idols – “And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it” Exodus 32:20.
“The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God” Deuteronomy 7:25.
“And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.” 2 Kings 10:26.
“And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire” 1 Chronicles 14:12.

The example of magic books – “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” Acts 19:18-19.

The example of the unsaved cast into the lake of fire for eternal punishment – “And whatsoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation. 20:15.

A Case For Burial

The weight of biblical evidence, Jewish and Christian practice, clearly supports burial and opposes cremation.

God Is Not In Favor of Cremation

Amos 2:1 “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:”

“In ancient times much importance was placed on a dead man’s body being peacefully placed in the family burial site, so that he could be ‘gathered to his fathers’ and find rest in the grave. To rob, disturb, or desecrate a grave was an offense of the highest order. Many surviving tomb inscriptions utter violent curses against anyone who would commit such an outrage.” (G.A. Cooke, A Textbook of North-Semitic Inscriptions. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, 1903, pp. 26-7, 30-2; Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, p. 327).

God Practices Burial

Deuteronomy 34:5-6 “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.”

God’s People Have Always Practiced Burial

Burial was clearly the practice among the Patriarchs

Sarah was buried by Abraham – “And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” Genesis 23:3-4 “And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.” Genesis:23:17-20

Abraham was buried by his sons, Isaac and Ishmael – “Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;” Genesis 25:8-9

Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, was buried near Bethel – “But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.” Genesis 35:8

Rachel was buried near Bethlehem by Jacob – “And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.” Genesis 35:19-20

Isaac was buried by his sons, Jacob and Esau – “And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” Genesis 35:29

Jacob buried Leah in the family tomb – “There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.” Genesis 49:31

Jacob made Joseph swear to bury him in the same place – “And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.” Genesis 47:29-31
“And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. … For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.” Genesis 50:2, 13

Joseph was embalmed in Egypt, later buried at Shechem – “So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” Genesis 50:26
“And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.” Joshua 24:32
Q Burial was the practice during the Mosaic dispensation

Miriam, sister of Moses, was buried in Kadesh – “Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.” Numbers 20:1

Moses was buried by God Himself in the land of Moab – “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.” Dueteronomy 34:5-6

Joshua was buried in his inheritance at Timnath-Serah – “And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.” Joshua 24:30

Samuel was honored with a national burial – “And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.” 1Samuel 25:1

David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and many other kings were buried in the City of David – “So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.”1Kings 2:10; “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.” 1 Kings 11:43; “And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.” 1 Kings 15:8; “And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.” 2Kings 15:38; “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” 2Chronicles 32:33

Burial continued to be the practice for Jesus and His followers

Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea – “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” Matthew 27:57-60

John The Baptist was buried – “And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.” Matthew 14:10-12

Lazarus was buried in a cave with a stone covering the opening before Jesus raised him from the dead – “Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:38-44

Ananias and Sapphira were buried – “And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” Acts 5:5-10

Stephen was buried after his martyrdom – “And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.” Act 8:2

A Christian’s Body Belongs To God: It Is Not Ours To Destroy by Fire or Any Other Means

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (revised) says, “The Christian emphasis upon the body being the temple of the Holy Spirit increased their disinclination toward cremation.”

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:8

Which practice, burial or cremation, shows a higher value for the body?

Burial Looks Forward To Our Literal, Physical, Bodily Resurrection

Burial symbolizes the hope of the resurrection. Cremation and the funeral pyre speak of annihilation, the end of hope.

David Cloud notes, “The reason God’s people have always been careful to practice burial is not difficult to understand. We believe in a bodily resurrection. Yes, the buried body will decompose in time. Yes, there are occasions in which Christians die in ways which render burial impossible – in the sinking of ships, in house fires, etc. But when at all possible we bury. Why the trouble? Because it is our certain hope that the same individual will be raised in the same body, only changed.”

We believe in the resurrection for the dead! – “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29

We eagerly await the redemption of our bodies. – “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:22-23.

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

The physical body is the seed for the resurrection body. When planted, a seed decomposes, and the new plant comes forth. The Bible uses this to illustrate resurrection:

“But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body…So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:35-44

David Cloud notes — “When we bury a Christian loved one, we are planting the seed for the resurrection body! It is a powerful testimony of our unwavering faith in God’s Word regarding the promise of the bodily resurrection.

Contrast heathenism. They have no such knowledge or hope. The Hindus and Buddhists, for example, believe in a human soul which is distinct from the body. But they do not believe that the soul, once departed from the body at death, will be resurrected in any relation whatsoever to the first body. Rather they believe the soul will be reincarnated in another entirely unrelated body, or into a non-physical sphere of existence.
God’s people, though, have had some knowledge of a bodily resurrection from the earliest days. The book of Job is considered commonly to be the oldest book in the Bible. There is no mention in the book of Job concerning Israel, or Jerusalem, or Palestine, or the temple, or the Jewish state or kingdom, and it is most likely that Job was a God-fearing man who lived in the days prior to Abraham. Yet, consider this ancient man of God’s thorough knowledge of the bodily resurrection.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27

God’s people have always buried their dead with this magnificent hope burning in their hearts – “We will see that brother or sister again in that same body, only changed, glorified!” Hallelujah! Only through the death and shed blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can we have this certain hope. He has taken upon Himself on the cross the punishment for our sins, carried our sins into the grave, and rose again in eternal triumph three days later. When an individual thoroughly acknowledges his sinfulness before God, repents (changes his mind about living a sinful, self-willed life), and receives Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Saviour, the sin debt becomes paid, and eternal life and glory is promised from God the Father. Part of our glorious heritage in Christ is the resurrection body.”

What About Those Who Have Been Cremated?

We know that the Lord has the power to raise all the dead, no matter what has happened to their bodies.

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” Revelation 20:13

My Conclusion

The overwhelming evidence in the Bible reveals burial as the practice, not cremation. Burial clearly reflects a higher regard for the body which is also reflected in Paul’s prayer… “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Introduction

Legalism is a term wildly thrown around in many Christian circles today. Often Christians who desire to maintain holy standards and who are zealous for pure doctrine as set forth in the Word of God are accused of being legalists and Pharisees. Walking obediently before God and urging others to do the same often brings harassing accusations of being a grace killer, a Puritain, a legalist and a Pharisee.

The modern church shouts at the top of their lungs, “we are not under law, we are under GRACE!” But they have a very unbiblical view of what grace is. Charles Swindoll writes — [Grace] “means I’m free to choose righteousness or disobedience… Christ’s blood has cleansed us from our sin, we are gloriously free – free to please Him. But we don’t have to.” He goes on to say, “Life is like a menu in the Grace Restaurant. In this new establishment you are free to choose whatever you want.” (Charles R. Swindoll, The Grace Awakening; Nashville: Word Publishing, 1990)

The promoters of this “choose whatever you want” grace “cherry pick” proof texts that seem to support their idea that the grace of God allows the believer to live like he or she wants to, which in truth is “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness….” (Jude 1:4).

For the believer, God’s grace is the enablement God gives Christians to say no to sin and to make them able to live for and serve Him. It is God giving the believer the desire and power to live the Christian life and serve Him (Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Corinthians 15:10).

One verse used to support the false grace being promoted in our day is a portion of Romans 6:14 which says “for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” This is one of the passages quoted to support the anti-law, anti-standard thinking that pervades the modern church. However, they have jerked this verse completely out of context! This passage is NOT supporting the “live like you please” mentality. Let’s examine the context – Romans 6:12-18 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

God’s Grace gives the believer NO license to choose to live as we please! This is very clearly stated in Titus 2:11-12 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

The Definitions

The Law

We need to examine some definitions. Let’s start with the LAW.

God established 613 specific rules, that He revealed to Moses who in turn revealed them to the Nation of Israel, which they were to follow. These included the 10 Commandments, the Moral Law and the Ceremonial Law. These can be found in Exodus, Leviticus & Deuteronomy. One Jewish source states it this way — According to the Talmud there are 613 mitzvot (“commandments”) in the Torah. There are 248 positive mitzvot and 365 negative mitzvot given. The Law is GOOD! (Romans 7:7-12)

Legalism

The term legalism is not used in the Bible, however the concept is. Let me explain. Legalism is NOT the presence of rules but rather a wrong attitude about and a wrong application of those the rules.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. When a person tries to use the law as a system for earning salvation that IS legalism. God NEVER gave the Law as a means of salvation! The Bible says, “By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16 Again, we read similar language in Romans 3:20 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Let me give you a second example of legalism. When a person performs a rule or standard merely to attract attention and or glorify their own actions, that is legalism!

A good example of this type of legalism is found in Matthew 23:1-7 “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”

Keeping rules to be noticed by people so that they consider you spiritual is legalism.

Another illustration of legalism is Matthew 6:1-8 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

A Pharisee

The Biblical definition of a Pharisee is a member of an ancient Jewish sect that emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic Law and Jewish oral and written tradition. Pharisees are a religious party in Palestine that emerged about 160 BC in opposition to the Sadducees. The Pharisees in the New Testament are portrayed as self-righteous hypocrites. Our Lord takes them to task for this in Matthew 23:13-23. See also Luke 18:10-14.

But, just because a Christian advocates and practices living an obedient, holy life before God, that does NOT make him a legalist or a Pharisee.

Many standards are clearly stated in the Bible: You must not lie, you must not commit adultery, you must not be immoral. But often, Christians may balk when confronted with “other” standards their church or peers expect them to follow.

Is it Biblically valid for individual Christians or churches to establish rigid standards of conduct in areas not specifically covered in Scripture? Yes! The Word of God may not cover every subject, but does lay down principles for making determinations.

Romans 12:1-2 is a passage familiar to most Christians. Here the apostle Paul writes, “Be not conformed to this world.” Christians are commanded to be different!

The world is constantly trying to squeeze believers into its mold – to put the screws on believers, to pressure believers, to make the individual believer just another person of the world.

We all live in the world 24 hours a day. What we see, what we read, what we hear on the radio and watch on television, are all conditioned by the world’s philosophy. Under this bombardment, it is difficult sometimes to recognize when we are being molded by the world, simply because we are in it so much.

In Ephesians 4:17, God challenges believers to “walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of the mind”. There must be a difference between the manner of life of a believer and the manner of life of the unsaved person, or “Gentile”.

When the Bible sets no specific standard of conduct for a particular situation, we often question who should establish a standard. But behind that question, there is God’s challenge that makes some standard necessary.

Again, that challenge is to be different than the world, and to have a manner of life different from the unsaved. This does not come naturally to the believer. So some standard must be found to evaluate how unsaved persons walk in given situations and how Christians are to be different.

The Presence of Standards Is Not Legalism

Here is the issue. The presence of standards is NOT legalism as many would have you to believe! It is true that legalism as a system is wrong, and quite contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. But is it also true that the presence of standards or rules automatically equals legalism?

God established many rules for the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Was He guilty of legalism? Of course not! There were laws, but not legalism.

In fact, the New Testament carries many commands given to the church or to individuals. Many of these commands are not unlike those given Israel. Notice there are commands to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) to “provoke one another to love” (Hebrews 10:24), for women to dress “in modest apparel” (1 Timothy 2:9), for men not to have “long hair” (1 Corinthians 11:14), and on and on. These are rules, but clearly they do not make the New Testament legalistic.

Legalism is not the presence of rules, but rather a wrong attitude about rules. When one performs a rule or standard merely to glory in their own actions, that is legalism.

True spirituality in the New Testament grows from an individual’s relationship to the Spirit. Is he sensitive to the Spirit? If he is walking day by day, moment by moment, under the control and influence of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16 & 25), then he will be spiritual. Is he putting off the old man and putting on the new man (Ephesians 4:22-32). Is he seeking to be holy as God is holy! I remind you of 1 Peter 1:13-16 which says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

A person who keeps rules may not be spiritual. But a person who is spiritual does live by rules. The spiritual person delights in living by the standards of God’s Word, and delights in allowing God’s Spirit to control or standardize his life.

The issue really boils down to this: Rules and standards are necessary for individual Christians to maintain their own testimonies, and the testimonies of the churches or organizations they represent.

“Ye are our epistles written in our hearts, known and read by all men”, says Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:2.

By our lives both the saved and unsaved see the principles of God’s Word—or they do not see those principles. Individual Christians must look to the Bible and establish personal standards so that “men may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Likewise, fundamental Bible-believing churches and organizations must establish standards by which they can corporately represent themselves before the saved and unsaved communities.

To those who question the need for standards, the answer is: Legalism, no! False spirituality, no! Testimony, yes!

Show your love for Christ by keeping His commandments (John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”). Make it obvious by your life that you love him with all your being! (Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”).

Show your respect for Christ, walking blamelessly in His ordinances (Philippians 2:15 “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”).

Be enthusiastic by obeying Him with all your might and by serving Him with all your strength. (Romans 12:11 “Not slothful [lax] in business [diligence]; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”)

Glorify Christ by imitating Him in all things and by walking as He walked (1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”).

Trust in Christ to live and reign in your heart! (Romans 6:12-13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”).

Have confidence in Christ that He will fulfill in your all of great and precious promises He has given (2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”) and that He will work in you all the good pleasure of His goodness, and all the work of faith with power (2 Thessalonians 1:11 “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”).

Let Him who has done all for you, do all in you!

Beloved that is NOT legalism! That is being controlled by the Holy Spirit, which demonstrates itself in Holy Living! And we need more of that in our own lives! And all of God’s people said – AMEN!

It is not legalist to live a Holy life! It is obedience.

He came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became man that we might become the sons of God. He came from Heaven, where the rivers never freeze, winds never blow, frosts never chill the air, flowers never fade. They never phone for a doctor for there no one is ever sick. No undertakers and no graveyards for no one ever dies – no one is ever buried.

He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty, reared in obscurity; only once crossed the boundary of the land of his childhood. He had no wealth nor influence and had neither training nor formal education. His relatives were inconspicuous and un-influential.

In infancy He startled a king; in boyhood He puzzled the doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His services. He never wrote a book, yet not all the libraries of the country could hold the books that could be written about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has furnished the theme of more songs than all the song writers combined. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together cannot boast of as many students as He has. He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than the doctors have broken bodies. He never marshaled any army, drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun, yet no leader ever made more volunteers, who have under His orders, made more rebels stack arms or surrender without a shot being fired.

He is the Star of astronomy. The Rock of geology, the Lion and the Lamb of zoology, the Harmonizer of all discords and the Healer of all diseases. Great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not seduce Him, Death could not destroy Him, the grave could not hold Him.

He laid aside His purple robe for a peasant’s gown. He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor. How Poor? Ask Mary! Ask the Wise Men! He slept in another’s manger. He cruised the lake in another’s boat. He rode on another man’s ass. He was buried in another man’s tomb. All failed but He never. The ever perfect One – He is the Chief among ten thousand. He is altogether lovely. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Dr. Harry Ironside (October 14, 1876-January 15, 1951)

[Dr. Henry Allen Ironside was a godly Bible teacher, pastor and author. He served as pastor of Chicago’s Moody Memorial Church from 1930-1948]

Objection is often raised even by some sound in the faith-regarding the exposure of error as being entirely negative and of no real edification. Of late, the hue and cry has been against any and all negative teaching. But the brethren who assume this attitude forget that a large part of the New Testament, both of the teaching of our blessed Lord Himself and the writings of the apostles, is made up of this very character of ministry-namely, showing the Satanic origin and, therefore, the unsettling results of the propagation of erroneous systems which Peter, in his second epistle, so definitely refers to as “damnable heresies.”

Our Lord prophesied, “Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Within our own day, how many false prophets have risen; and oh, how many are the deceived! Paul predicted, “I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch.” My own observation is that these “grievous wolves,” alone and in packs, are not sparing even the most favored flocks. Under shepherds in these “perilous times” will do well to note the apostle’s warning: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.” It is as important in these days as in Paul’s-in fact, it is increasingly important-to expose the many types of false teaching that, on every hand, abound more and more.

We are called upon to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints,” while we hold the truth in love. The faith means the whole body of revealed truth, and to contend for all of God’s truth necessitates some negative teaching. The choice is not left with us. Jude said he preferred a different, a pleasanter theme-“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordainedto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 3, 4). Paul likewise admonishes us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11).

This does not imply harsh treatment of those entrapped by error-quite the opposite. If it be objected that exposure to error necessitates unkind reflection upon others who do not see as we do, our answer is: it has always been the duty of every loyal servant of Christ to warn against any teaching that would make Him less precious or cast reflection upon His finished redemptive work and the all-sufficiency of His present service as our great High Priest and Advocate.

Every system of teaching can be judged by what it sets forth as to these fundamental truths of the faith. “What think ye of Christ?” is still the true test of every creed. The Christ of the Bible is certainly not the Christ of any false “-ism.” Each of the cults has its hideous caricature of our lovely Lord.

Let us who have been redeemed at the cost of His precious blood be “good soldiers of Jesus Christ.” As the battle against the forces of evil waxes ever more hot, we have need for God-given valour.

There is constant temptation to compromise. “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.” It is always right to stand firmly for what God has revealed concerning His blessed Son’s person and work. The “father of lies” deals in half-truths and specializes in most subtle fallacies concerning the Lord Jesus, our sole and sufficient Savior.

Error is like leaven of which we read, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous. God hates such a mixture! Any error, or any truth-and-error mixture, calls for definite exposure and repudiation. To condone such is to be unfaithful to God and His Word and treacherous to imperiled souls for whom Christ died.

Exposing error is most unpopular work. But from every true standpoint it is worthwhile work. To our Savior, it means that He receives from us, His blood-bought ones, the loyalty that is His due. To ourselves, if we consider “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt,” it ensures future reward, a thousand-fold. And to souls “caught in the snare of the fowler,” how many of them God only knows, it may mean light and life, abundant and everlasting.

　

“Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones

Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold;

E’en them, who kept thy truth so pure of old,

When all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones,

Forget not: in thy book record their groans,

Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold

Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that roll’d

Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans

The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow

O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway

The triple tyrant; that from these may grow

An hundred-fold, who, having learnt thy way,

Early may fly the Babylonian woe!“

-Milton-

　Located in the valleys of the Alps lived a people who set themselves apart from the world, living out their faith according to the Bible. They were beloved of God but hated by the world. These men and women have since passed but their heroic faith will live on forever.

Most often the Waldenses are traced back to Peter Waldo of the mid-12^th century but it is believed they were around before that; possibly back to the time of the apostles. The name Waldenses means “men of the valleys”. But these men, women and children are known by many other names including Chignards meaning dogs, beggars, Turlupins meaning wolves because they were forced to live in the wilderness, sodomites, Carthari meaning pure, and the Israel of the Alps. They could also be called Saints because they were sanctified in Christ to do God’s work and one title that they will attain for all eternity is “good and faithful servants”.

The Waldenses are remembered for their great faith, doctrine, and way of living. The Waldensian way of life was simple. Secluded from the influence of the world they could focus on living for God and devote much time to study and missionary work. One great feat of the Waldenses was their ability to memorize the entire New Testament and part of the Old Testament. Not only did they memorize the New Testament but they were instructed in Latin, Romane and Italian. Perhaps learning God’s Word by heart and memory is what gave them their great courage and ability to live under the persecutions they endured. They understood 2 Timothy 2:15 and took it to heart. Without the influences of the world all they had was God and His Word. (p. 3 Israel of the Alps) They also spent much time in copying the Scriptures which they would distribute on their missionary journeys.

The Waldenses had a great burden for missionary work. They bravely went into Southern and Central Europe, scattering the seeds of the gospel in countries such as Germany, Spain, France, Poland, and Austria. They even went into the city of Rome. Their missionaries came up with a great way to present the gospel as they traveled. They would carry with them merchandise for sale and introduce themselves saying, “SIR, will you please to buy any rings, or seals, or trinkets? MADAM, will you look at any handkerchiefs, or pieces or needlework for veils? I can afford them cheap.” After they finished with their business transaction the person would ask, “Have you anything more?” and the Waldensian Missionary would reply, “Yes, great rarities; I have one precious stone through which you can see God, and another that kindles love to him in the heart.” Then the missionary would bring out a portion of Scripture and say: “The inestimable jewel I spoke of, is the world of God, by which he communicates his mind to men, and which inflames their hearts with love to him.” The missionary would then read the scripture and leave it with the person. (p.123-124 History of the Churches)

The majority of the Waldenses rejected the Roman doctrine and held to a more fundamental doctrine. It has been said, “It is not they who separated from Catholicism, but Catholicism which separated from them.” (p. 1 Israel of the Alps) They rejected the Roman Church, the corruption of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Catholic priest, purgatory, prayers to the dead, and prayers to saints. They believed in the inspiration and authority of the Bible, One God who is triune, the sin nature in man, salvation in Jesus Christ alone, and faith working by charity. They also believed in confession but as stated like this, “Confession, said they, is of two natures; the first should be made to God, from the bottom of the heart; without it, no one can be saved: the second is that made aloud to the priest, in order to obtain counsel from him; and this confession is valid when that of the heart has preceded it; but the second, without the first, will not save men from perdition. (p. 5 Israel of the Alps)

There were many persecutions against the Waldenses throughout the dark ages. On one account Pope Innocent III formed a crusaded against the Waldenses in France in the year 1209. He was able to get thousands in his crusade by promising forgiveness of sins. The crusade went on for twenty years in which hundreds of thousands were brutally murdered and tortured. They were thrown from cliffs, hanged, burned at the stake, disemboweled, pierced through, drowned, torn by dogs, and crucified. In one particular case 400 mothers with their babies took to the mountains and hid in a cave. When the Catholic crusaders discovered them they set a large fire outside the cave which suffocated all the refugees inside. (p.130-131 History of the Churches) No matter what the persecution the Waldenses displayed great courage and faith in their Lord even unto death. One man by the name Geoffrey Varaille whose father led a crusade and himself had become a convert said this when his death sentence was announced to him, “Be assured, messeigneurs, you will sooner want wood wherewith to burn us, than ministers ready to burn in seal of their faith: from day to day they multiply; and the word of God endureth forever.” He was then burned on March 29^th 1558. (p.46-48 Israel of the Alps)

Jesus said let your light so shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify God (Matt. 5:16). But the world, mainly the Catholics hated the light (John 3:19). The Roman Catholics made many false accusations against the Waldenses and attempted to destroy them all. At the hands of the Roman Catholic crusades many Waldenses died a martyr’s death. Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. By looking at the aggressive spread of Roman Catholicism and its heresies it would appear that the gates of hell did prevail against the church. The Roman Catholics tried to extinguish the light that was shining from the Alps. But God has kept His promise. He did not say there would be large numbers (Matt. 7:13-14). The Waldenses of that time are gone from this world but their light has not been put out, it still shines today.

I have heard most of the arguments! “You can’t be Christian and against gun control!” “ Guns kill people!” “We need more gun control laws!” Or, another one is, “How can you claim to be pro-life and pro-gun at the same time?”

The reason I am against gun control is that it is the person, behind the gun, that kills people. Gun control laws do nothing to stop criminals from committing crimes and just make it harder for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves. Saying we need more gun control laws to keep people from being murdered is like saying we need to ban silverware so people will not get fat.

We already know that gun laws do NOT prevent gun crime. The criminal has neither a regard for the law nor the people he perpetrates crimes against. No law imaginable can prevent criminals from getting and using guns! 

Now to another common argument used: How can you claim to be pro-gun and pro-capital punishment? Let me make my answer clear! God hates the shedding of INNOCENT BLOOD (Proverbs 6:16). Therefore, I am against the murder of INNOCENT human life in every circumstance, from the pre-born, the aged, handicapped, disabled and terminally ill, and every INNOCENT person in between.  I assert that it is the God-given right of every innocent human being to have life, liberty, justice and the right to defend oneself, family, neighbor and country against any unjust aggressor who would attempt to violate our God-given rights. Therefore, I am anti-abortion, anti-infanticide and anti-euthanasia.  On the other hand, I am pro-innocent human life, pro-second amendment, and pro-capital punishment. God clearly refers to capital punishment in Genesis 9:6 when he says, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”

The absurd gun control arguments reminds me of a sign I see when I am target practicing – “The theory of gun control advocates is that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to the police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound.”

As we will see, the Bible endorses self-defense.

That brings me to the matter of our United States Constitution. Per that document, citizens have the right to own guns and carry them. For years our previous Governor (I am from Wisconsin) thumbed his nose at the Unite States Constitution and would not allow law-abiding citizens to “bear arms.” That all changed when a concealed carry bill was signed into law July 8, 2011, by our current Governor making our state the second to last state to come in line with our United States Constitution.

The Second Amendment of our United States Constitution says,   “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Some people try to argue that militia means government military, but it clearly does not, and the very wording of the amendment places the right of arms ownership with the people and not the state.

What Does The Bible Say About Self-Defense?

Does the Bible endorse self-defense? Is a Christian a hypocrite if he owns a gun and uses it for self-defense if the occasion arises? Let’s examine the Bible and see what it says. But before I do that, let me explain the view of a pacifist.

I need to make it clear that God is NOT a pacifist and neither does His Word teach pacifism. We read in Exodus 15:3 “The LORD is a man of war….” Here is a hymn in the Hebrew songbook where David thanks God for teaching him to war and fight. We read in Psalms 144:1 “A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:”

Despite these and other references in the Bible, a pacifist believes that war or defending oneself is never right! Their reasoning is that there is nothing important enough to go to war over or ever shoot another person for in self-defense. All national and international disputes should be settled by peaceful means rather than by force. They are opposed to all military ideals, preparedness, war, etc. Further, many believe it is never right to kill anyone for any reason, under any circumstance.  They would not believe in capital punishment for that reason.

Among those who label them-selves as Christian pacifists are the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites. 

In general they believe Christ’s teachings, such as that in Matthew 5:38-48 (turn the other cheek and go the extra mile), forbids believers from becoming involved in any form of violence, killing or warfare, even for the protection of their lives, the protection of their loved ones, their own property, and their country. But the true focus of this passage is how to handle persecution; it is not referring to self-defense when your life is in danger.

Perhaps the most common verse gun control advocates use to support their position is Exodus 20:13. The verse says, “Thou shalt not kill.” They mistakenly believe the 5^th Commandment is a blanket command covering war, capital punishment, personal protection, etc. This is a clear misunderstanding of the word kill and the commandment.

The Hebrew word translated “kill” in Exodus 20:13, ratsach, is translated “murder” 14 times (Numbers 35:16, 17,18,19,21,30,31; 1 Kings 6:32; Job 24:14; Psalm 94:6; Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 7:9; Hosea 6:9) and “slayer” 17 times (Numbers 35:11,25,26, 27,28; Deuteronony 4:42; 19:3,4,6; Joshua 20:3,5,6; 21:13,21, 27,32,38). Bible Commentator Adam Clark says in his commentary, “this commandment, which is general, prohibits murder of every kind.”

Dr. John Gill further explains in his commentary, “killing of men in lawful war, or in defense of a man’s self, when his own life is in danger, or the execution of malefactors by the hands or order of the civil magistrate (capital punishment), and killing a man at unawares (by accident), without any design, are not to be reckoned breaches of this law.”

The 5^th Commandment has in view the taking away of the life of another through private malice and revenge; cold blooded murder.

There are at least four circumstances in the Bible when killing is not murder.

üMilitary service and Law enforcement – Governments are charged with three responsibilities to their citizens: First, Protecting Her Citizens; Second, Punishing Evil; and Third, Promoting Order (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Timothy 2:2).

Martin Luther said, “War for the sake of war is sin, but war for the sake of defense is duty. The power of temporal rulers is to be turned only against the wicked, to hold them in check and keep them at peace, and to protect and save the righteous.”

It is not murder to kill a person in the line of duty in law enforcement or in the military. This is clearly stated in Romans 13:4 “For he [military or law enforcement] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

üCapital punishment – It is not murder to put criminals to death for heinous crimes. The Bible plainly says that the man who takes a life is to forfeit his own life (Genesis 9:6). The Law of Moses called for capital punishment in the case of murder (Leviticus 24:17; Deuteronomy 19:11-13), adultery (Le. 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:21,22), rape (Deuteronomy 22:25-27), incest (Leviticus 20:17), and other things as well. The avenger of death in Old Testament times was a relative or friend who put the murderer to death (Deuteronomy 19:11-13). God allowed for this, and made provision for cities of refuge for those who had killed someone accidentally. However that has changed today. In this dispensation, God has given only civil government the authority to put offenders to death. In Romans 13 we see that God has given nations the authority to “bear the sword” against evil. This obviously refers to capital punishment.  

üAccidental Death – As tragic as it is, it is not murder to kill someone accidentally (Numbers 35:20-23). It is a horrible thing to kill someone accidentally. My mother had twin friends. Their names were Sonny and Bunny. When Sonny was about 10, he got a rifle from where it was kept. He was fiddling with it; perhaps playing with it, it fired and killed his twin sister Bunny. That nightmare lived in Sonny’s mind the rest of his life.

NOTE: Parents, with this new concealed carry law, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders if you are going to have guns around! You have an educational responsibility and a safety responsibility so that children do not injure or kill someone with a loaded gun you have left around. 

üSelf-Defense – It is not murder to defend oneself or your loved ones and property (Exodus 22:2-3). If someone broke into the home at night and the intruder was killed, the one who killed him was NOT guilty of murder. If it is in the daytime and the intruder is there to steal and not to molest or kill, you are not to kill him. But, if possible, capture him so he can make restitution.

I also believe Proverbs 24:11-12 calls us to intervene if someone is taken by a lawless thief, robber, murderer, etc. we are called to do all we can to intervene and stop it. We read,  “If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

Then there is Deuteronomy 22:23-27 which deals with rape. Verse 27 has in view a woman who is raped and she calls for help and the verse says “and there was none to save her.” Clearly the implication is that if someone would have heard, there would have been a moral duty to intervene and protect her from being raped, by whatever means was available. To stand by and do nothing would be immoral.

In fact, God wanted his people armed to protect themselves! God did not plan for just the army to be armed! The Israelites were expected to have their own personal weapons. Every man would be summoned to arms when the nation confronted an enemy. They did not send in the Marines. The people defended themselves. (see 1 Samuel 25:13).

A good example of people protecting themselves is found in Nehemiah 4:17-18 — “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.”

Judges 5:8 reminds us of what happens to a foolish nation that chooses to disarm! “They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?” They were vulnerable to their enemies. They had no weapons to protect themselves.

That brings me to the New Testament. Did you know that our Lord instructed his disciples to buy a weapon? Look at Luke 22:36 “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Our Lord wanted his followers to be prepared to protect themselves, because he knew he would not be around much longer to do it. It is obvious that they obeyed him. We see this in Matthew 26:50-54 “And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

What was Jesus saying? Jesus told Peter he would be committing suicide to choose a fight in this situation – as well as undermining God’s plan to allow Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and raise from the dead.  Jesus told Peter to put his sword in its place – at his side. He did not say throw it away. After all, He had just ordered the disciples to arm themselves. The reason for the arms was obviously to protect the lives of the disciples, not the life of the Son of God. What Jesus was saying was: “Peter, this is not the right time for a fight. If you use your sword for improper purposes you will die!”

Having studied the Bible, my conclusion is that it is Biblical to own and use a weapon for self-defense purposes. However, I would warn you against using your weapon improperly!  It is a huge responsibility to own a gun and an even bigger one if you choose to carry one and use it.

Introduction

For nearly 2000 years the Bible has remained the most controversial and contested book of all times. While we, in our modern world, take for granted the abundance of Bibles and Bible translations, there was a time when men or women who dared to handle, possess, yes, even read, this sacred Book that, if they were found out, it would cost them there very life.

Since the crucifixion of Christ, for whom the Gospel record was set forth, it can be said that the Bible has become the most blood stained book in all of history.

Men have fought for it; been burned at the stake for it. Believers have been (and continue to be) imprisoned, beaten, buried alive and killed, just for reading it. Others have had their bones disinterred, and for faith in the Word of God and propagating it have been accursed to damnation and eternal fire by the Roman Catholic Church.

Bible believing Christians have suffered all this and more for daring to share the powerful words of the Holy Scriptures to a lost and dying world.

Through the centuries there have always been those who, for the love of the lost, desired to share the life changing Gospel Message and yet there are others who are determined to destroy that message. Yet, for those who believe, the Light of God’s Word shines through, even in the darkest of times. (This is an adaptation of the introduction by Chris Pinto in the documentary A Lamp In The Dark: The Untold Story of the Bible by www.adullamfilms.com)

This is the story of our English Bible.

John Wycliffe – (about 1320 to December 31, 1384)

The Acts of the Apostles records the birth and spread of the Christian faith in the first century. At a very early period, likely before the end of the first, or the beginning of the second century, the books of the New Testament had been collected into one volume. The New Testament was then repeatedly hand copied and carried by Christians wherever they went. In fact, for the first five or six centuries the Bible, and particularly the New Testament, was translated into various languages. But, the Church of Rome increasingly usurped the autonomy of the local churches and dominated the realm of Christendom. With the growth and consolidation of popish power, the Bible, in the language of the people, declined in importance while the opinions and judgments of the prelates and priests of Rome became “the law.”

The Bible went from being available in numerous different languages to just one language, Latin. Why? It was because “the aim of the Romish prelacy was no less, than the entire monopoly of all ecclesiastical and secular rule” (The English Bible – History of the Translation of the Holy Scriptures Into the English Tongue by H. C. Conant; 1856;  p.15). The Roman Church intended to rule the secular and sacred world. In order to accomplish that goal, Rome had to consolidate her power. Since knowledge is the vital element of power, the control of knowledge was paramount. Knowledge of the Word of God, leads to freedom. Our Lord said, “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. Therefore, the Bible had to be taken away from the people, if they were to be controlled. So, “instead of God’s Word, man’s word was set up. Instead of Christ’s Testament, the pope’s testament, that is, Canon law” was substituted (The Ecclesiastical History: Containing The Acts and Monuments…1641 Edition; by John Foxe, Volume 2, Book 7, p.56). Gradually, access to biblical knowledge (and secular knowledge for that matter) was withdrawn from the people and wholly held in the greedy, bloody hands of the Roman Catholic establishment. Slowly but surely the Bible, in the language of the people, was taken away. The light of the Word of God was virtually extinguished all over the Roman dominated world, including Britain. Here is but one example of the distressing state of biblical knowledge. “In 1353, three or four young Irish priests came over to England to study divinity; but were obligated to return home because not a copy of the Bible was to be found at Oxford.” (The English Bible: History of the Translation of the Holy Scriptures Into The English Tongue; by H. C. Conant; 1856; p.45). So, how did the Catholic ecclesiastical establishment view this sad state of affairs? “It has frequently been made the subject of praise to the papal clergy, that they alone were the depositaries of learning, at a period when all other classes of society were sunk into ignorance and barbarism.” (Ibid. p.15)

That is a travesty! If the Roman priesthood would have encouraged and facilitated the spreading of Bible and secular knowledge it would have been an age of light! But, instead they hid the light of knowledge within their cloisters, and history now records this period as “The Dark Ages.” When the Bible was taken away from the common people, “they lost the charter of their rights as men.” (Ibid. p.16).  As time went on the people became the mere tools and bond-slaves of the priesthood. They became “the rabble, the vulgar herd, the mob, to be used or abused without limits or mercy, for the benefit of their masters.” (Ibid. p.16).  

J. C. Ryle characterizes the state of English Christianity this way –

“The three centuries immediately preceding our English Reformation…were probably the darkest period in the history of English Christianity. It was a period when the Church of this land was thoroughly, entirely, and completely Roman Catholic – when the Bishop of Rome was the spiritual head of the Church – when Romanism reined supreme form the Isle of Wright to Berwick-on-Tweed, and from the Land’s End to the North Foreland, and ministers and people were all alike Papists. It is no exaggeration to say that for these three centuries before the Reformation, Christianity in England seems to have been buried under a mass of ignorance, superstition, priestcraft, and immorality. The likeness between the religion of this period and that of the apostolic age was so small, that if St. Paul had risen from the dead he would hardly have called it Christianity at all.” (Light From Old Times of Protestant Facts and Men; by J. C. Ryle; first published in 1890; p. 22)

It is into this sad state of affairs that God raised up a man named John Wycliffe, commonly called “the Morning Star of the Reformation.”

Wycliffe Manuscript New Testament – 1380

Wycliffe Manuscript Old and New Testament – 1382

John Purvy revised Wycliffe’s Bible – 1388

“To Wyclif we owe, more than to any one person who can be mentioned, our English language, our English Bible, and our reformed religion.” (Professor Montagu Burrows 1881 lecture series).

He is right. John de Wycliffe was born in the early 1330’s in a small English village called Wycliffe-on-Tees in Yorkshire, England. “Roman Catholicism was the religion of the day, and Wycliffe was steeped in its teachings.” (Zion’s Fire Magazine; March/April, 1991 – Special Edition; p.8). He was educated at Oxford’s colleges. He began at Balliol College in 1356 and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Merton College. He received his Doctor of Theology degree in 1372. His studies, typical of medieval scholars, were rooted soundly in Latin. In fact, he became a Latin scholar. He also served as Master (head teacher) of Balliol College and Warden (administrative head) of Canterbury Hall.

How were Wycliffe’s Catholic views changed so drastically that he has been called “The First Protestant” and “The Morning Star of the Reformation”? The answer is really very simple. He began to diligently study the Bible.

“Wycliffe first denounced the corrupt practices and then the corrupt doctrines of Romanism leading to those practices.” (History of the Church of God from the Creation to A.D. 1885 by Cushing Biggs Hassell; p.457). He began preaching, teaching and writing against the unbiblical doctrines and practices of Roman Catholicism when he was about 35 to 37 years old. Wycliffe exposed the errors of transubstantiation, sacramentalism, purgatory, indulgences, tradition being equal in authority with the Scriptures, the papacy, infant baptism, praying to the saints, and many other false teaching of Roman Catholicism. That is why he is called the “Morning Star” of the Reformation because he believed, taught, wrote and preached doctrines that were not advanced until 100 years later by the Reformers.

By 1371 he was recognized as the leading theologian and philosopher of the day, second to none in all of Europe. In point of fact, “the splendour of Wyclif’s talents, learning and character attracted hosts of students, said to be thirty thousand, who imbibed his opinions. They made him the hero and idol of the University. He was awarded the honorable title of ‘The Gospel Doctor.’ To the intense chagrin of the ecclesiastics, he was elected and installed its Professor of Divinity.” (Fighters & Martyrs for the Freedom of Faith by Luke S. Walmsley; 1912; p.28) In 1372 he began a series of lectures as a part of the divinity course at Oxford. It was not long before the lecture hall was filled to overflowing.

Many men came to Oxford to sit under his teaching and later followed him to the Lutterworth parish church. Others like Czech Reformer and martyr John Hus (martyred July 6, 1415) and Bohemian Reformer and martyr Jerome of Prague (martyred in 1416) were greatly influenced by Wycliffe’s writings. “Wycliffe became convinced that everyone had the right and duty to read the Scriptures in their own language – and that only the Word of God could break the bondage of Romanism which enslaved the people.” (Zion’s Fire Magazine; March/April, 1991 – Special Edition; p.8).

Here are some of the things Wycliffe said about the Bible –

•         The sacred Scripture [is] to be the property of the people, and one which no party should be allowed to wrest from them.”

•         The priests declare it to be heresy to speak of the Holy Scriptures in English, such a charge is a condemnation of the Holy Ghost, who first gave the Scriptures in tongues to the Apostles of Christ, to speak the word in all languages that were ordained of God under heaven.

•         “Those Heretics who pretend that the laity need not know God’s law but that the knowledge which priests have had imparted to them by word of mouth is sufficient, do not deserve to be listened to. For Holy Scriptures is the faith of the Church, and the more widely its true meaning becomes known the better it will be. Therefore since the laity should know the faith, it should be taught in whatever language is most easily comprehended…Christ and His apostles taught the people in the language best known to them.”

With the help of his personal secretary, John Purvey, and likely others, Wycliffe translated the New Testament from Latin into Middle English in 1380 and the first English manuscript New Testament appeared. Two years later (1382), again with the help of Nicholas of Herford and John Purvey the Old Testament was completed and the entire hand-scribed Bible was issued. The people loved the Wycliffe translation. For the first time the English people had an opportunity of reading the Bible in their own language. Up until this time, the Bible had been a closed book to them. “The arrival of a Bible in the English tongue was not embraced by all. The English Catholic Church’s opposition to a vernacular translation was predictable. The authority of the priests rested solely in the Church. The Church’s grasp on the laity depended on biblical ignorance. Therefore, they vehemently opposed Wycliffe’s translation. Any free use of the Bible in worship and thought signaled a deep threat to the Church’s authority.” (The New Testament in English – Translated by John Wycliffe – First Exact Facsimile with introduction by Donald L. Brake; p. xvii)

The English Catholic Church pressured the English Parliament to action. In 1381 A.D. “the English Parliament passed the first English statute against heresy, enjoining arrest, trial and imprisonment.” (History of the Church of God from the Creation to A.D. 1885; by Cushing Biggs Hassell; p. 459). Soon after this law was enacted Archbishop Courtney gathered 47 Bishops, monks and religious doctors to examine (try for heresy) Wycliffe’s teachings in May of 1382. They judged 10 of his teachings as heresy and 16 others were ruled erroneous and ruled that his writings were forbidden to be read in England. The King called for the imprisonment of all who believed the condemned doctrines and teachings of Wycliffe. When the ruling was made “a powerful earthquake shook the city. Huge stones fell out of castle walls and pinnacles toppled.” (Rome and the Bible; by David W. Cloud; Way of Life Literature; p. 57) David Fountain reports, “Wycliffe called it a judgment of God and afterwards described the gathering as the Earthquake Council.” (John Wycliffe: The Dawn of The Reformation; David Guy Fountain; Mayflower Christians Books; 1984; p. 39)

John Wycliffe was at odds with the Roman Catholic Church nearly all of his life, but in spite of that he was never excommunicated nor did he leave the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, he suffered his fatal stroke while conducting Mass at Lutterworth. He was carried out the door and taken to his parsonage and died at home in bed on New Year’s Eve 1384 A.D. He was buried in the Lutterworth church yard soon after. But that was not the end for John Wycliffe. The English Catholic Church wanted to stamp out the influence Wycliffe had even after his death. You can see the animosity by reading what Archbishop Arundel wrote to the Pope in 1411: “This pestilent and wretched John Wyclif, of cursed memory, that sone of the old serpant…endeavored by doctrine of Holy Church, devising – to fill up the measure of his malice – the expedient of a new translation of the Scriptures into the mother tongue”. (The Wycliffite Versions – The Cambridge History of the Bible; by Henry Hargreaves; Cambridge University Press – 1969)

Thirty years after Wycliffe’s death the Roman Church finally took official action at the Council of Constance in 1415. They burned Wycliffe’s disciple, John Hus, at the stake and condemned John Wycliffe on 260 different counts. They ordered that his bones be exhumed from the consecrated ground and burned. Thirteen years after the council, 44 years after Wycliffe’s death his bones were exhumed and burned along with all the Bibles and books they could find authored by him. His ashes were thrown into the river Swift.

The Church of Rome thought this would stamp out his influence and stand as a warning to any future would-be “heretics”. But, as noted historian Thomas Fuller put it – “They burnt his bones to ashes and cast them into the Swift. This brook (Swift) has conveyed his ashes into Avon, Avon into Severn, Severn into the narrow seas, they into the main ocean. And thus the ashes of Wycliffe are the emblem of his doctrine, which now is dispersed all the world over.” (Baptist History: From the Foundation of the Christian Church to the Present Time; by J. M. Cramp; Elliot Stock – London; 1871; p.98).

Wycliffe lit the fire that spread Reformation doctrine throughout Europe.

There were three major events which made it possible for the Dark Ages to be shattered by the light of the Bible to shine throughout the European Continent and then spread to England. First, Johan Gensfleisch zum Gutenberg invented moveable type to be used with the printing press.

The second event was the downfall of Constantinople to the Muslims in 1454. The result was that many Greek scholars had to flee to Europe with their precious manuscripts, including their Greek New Testament manuscripts. Many of them took positions in the great European universities and there was a renaissance of ancient learning, including the teaching of the Greek language. When combined with the invention of the moveable type printing press, this multiplied the availability of books.

The third and final event that facilitated releasing the vice grip grasp of the Roman Church on the world was Erasmus Desiderius Roterodamus’ collecting New Testament manuscripts and for the first time ever, publishing all 27 of the New Testament manuscripts in one book in 1516. In one column is the Greek New Testament text accompanied by Erasmus’ own new Latin translation, and then this was followed by Erasmus’ notes, giving his comments on the text. His translation of the Greek into Latin showed just how corrupt that Latin Vulgate really was. Between the years 1516 and 1535 Erasmus published five editions of the Greek New Testament.

It is from Erasmus’ 1522 Greek New Testament that William Tyndale produced the first printed Bible in English.

The Bibles of the Martyrs

William Tyndale – (1492 – Martyred October 6, 1536)

The Cologne Fragment – 1525

First Edition Tyndale New Testament – 1526

Second Revised & Corrected Tyndale New Testament Edition – 1534

Tyndale was born sometime in the 1490’s, probably 1492 or 93. The family sometimes went by the last name Hutchins as well. In 1512 he entered Oxford. By 1515 he had earned his M.A. He then transferred to Cambridge University for a time. It is at Cambridge that he likely picked up his Protestant convictions because the teachings of Luther were prevalent at Cambridge in the early 1520’s. It should be noted that Tyndale was a brilliant student. He had mastered seven languages — Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French and English. It was said that he spoke each language so fluently that a person was unable to tell that it was not his mother tongue. In addition, he had a working knowledge of German which allowed him to translate and interpret the writings of Martin Luther. In 1521 he left Cambridge and served through 1523 as chaplain and tutor in the house of Sir John Walsh at Little Sodbury. Sir John was a man of importance and kept “open house for the abbots and doctors, who were glad for the entertainment and table discussions”. At one such occasion Tyndale said to a church official “I defy the Pope and all his laws; if God spares my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scriptures than thou doest”.

Soon after this encounter Tyndale felt compelled to leave Little Sodbury Manor. He went to London desiring to try to get ecclesiastical approval from the Bishop of London, Cuthbert Tunstall, to translate the Bible from Greek into English. It soon became evident that permission would not be forthcoming. But what Tyndale did get was backing from Humphrey Manmoth and other merchants to start his translation work. In 1524 Tyndale sailed for Germany, never to see England again. In Hamburg he worked on the New Testament which was ready to be printed the next year. He found a printer in Cologne. As the pages of Matthew and Mark (most likely) began to come off the press Tyndale was warned that a raid had been planned by Johann Dobneck (alias Cochlaeus). Dobneck was a lead opponent of the Reformation. Tyndale fled out the back door with the pages that had been printed, just as the authorities were coming in the front door. These partial New Testaments were smuggled into England and distributed. Only one 1525 Gospel portion is known to exist today.

Tyndale moved to Worms to continue his printing. It was a more reformed-minded city. In 1526 he printed 3,000 (some say 6,000) of these complete New Testaments. And yet, only two complete Bibles survived and one partial copy owned by St. Paul’s. The second complete copy was just discovered in November of 1996 in Stuttgart, Germany. One reason so few survived was because Bishop Tunstall made arrangements to buy all of them he could get his hands on. He paid top dollar. In 1526 he preached against the translation and had great numbers of them ceremoniously burned at St. Paul’s Cross in London.

Tyndale moved to Antwerp, Belgium around 1527 and published several books. In 1530 he published the Pentateuch. In 1531 he published Jonah in pamphlet form. Between 1530 and 1535 he translated Joshua to 2 Chronicles, but they were not published until after his death. Finally, in 1534 Tyndale published his revised edition and they were smuggled into England.

By 1535 orders had been given to hunt down Tyndale and stop him. Several Englishmen were about that task. It was the devious Henry Phillips who found Tyndale and set the trap. On about May 21, 1535 two soldiers seized Tyndale as he left the home of Thomas Poyntz, Tyndale’s friend. He was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Castle of Vilvoorde which was located six miles north of Brussels, Belgium.  There he was kept for 18 months until everything was set for his trial. A long list of charges had been drawn up against him. Here are just of few of the “heresies” he was charged with:

1. He maintained that faith alone justifies.

2. He maintained that to believe in the forgiveness of sins, and to embrace the mercy offered in the gospel, was enough for salvation.

3. He denied that there is any purgatory.

4. He affirmed that neither the Virgin nor the Saints pray for us in their own person.

5. He asserted that neither the Virgin nor the Saints should be invoked by us.

Tyndale was condemned as an heretic early in August, 1536. A few days later, with great pageantry and pomp he was cast out of the Church, defrocked from the priesthood and turned over to the state for punishment. For some strange reason he was returned to Vilvoorde Castle for another two months. Finally, early on the morning of October 6, 1536 Tyndale was led to the stake. His feet were bound tightly to the stake. He was chained at the waist. A noose of hemp was threaded through the stake and placed around Tyndale’s neck. The crowd grew silent. Then, with a loud voice Tyndale prayed, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” The executioner then snapped down on the noose and strangled him and then he was burned to ashes.

It should be noted that God did answer Tyndale’s prayer for within a year afterwards; a Bible was placed in every parish church by the King’s command.

Myles Coverdale (1488-1569)

1535 – Coverdale Bible: The First Complete

Printed English Bible

1537 – Coverdale Revised Edition

Myles Coverdale was born in 1488 probably in “the district of Coverdale in Richmondshire, from which district it is probable that his family took their name”. He received his education in the Priory of the Augustines at Cambridge, of which the celebrated Dr. Barnes was the head.

John Bale (1548) said of Coverdale: “Under the mastership of Robert Barnes he drank in good learning with a burning thirst. He was a young man of a friendly and upright nature and a very gentle spirit. He was one of the first to make a pure profession of Christ…[and] he gave himself wholly to the propagating of the truth of Jesus Christ’s gospel…”

On three occasions Coverdale had to flee from England because of his Reformation views. On the first occasion when he left England during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII he became acquainted with Tyndale and assisted him in his translation work. During that absence he began working on his own translation of the Bible. Like Wycliffe’s, Coverdale’s version was a translation of a translation. He “translated from St. Jerome’s fourth-century Latin version, known as the Vulgate.” He also used Luther’s German Bible and took much of his English phraseology from Wycliffe and Tyndale.

Coverdale was not so much a translator as a careful editor and compiler. He knew how to select, modify and use the materials which were at hand, so as to produce a Bible which would satisfy the people and the Ecclesiastics. Hence, while William Tyndale was in the Belgian prison, a year before his execution, a Bible containing both Old and New Testaments was printed either in Zurich or at Antwerp, bearing the date October 4, 1535, suddenly appeared in England. It was the Coverdale Bible. It contained notes, but little, if any, contentious matter. In the introduction Coverdale declared that he “had not changed so much as one word for the benefit of any sect, but had with a clear conscience purely and faithfully translated out of the foregoing interpreters, having only before his eyes the manifest truth of Scripture.” Two things are to be noted about this Bible. It was the first edition of the entire Bible that was printed in English. Secondly, Coverdale’s English translation was in one column and the Erasmus Latin translation was in the other.

The 2^nd Edition (1537) was published “with the King’s most gracious license” and therefore was actually the answer to William Tyndale’s last prayer, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes” that had been uttered a year earlier.

Coverdale did not have the learning and the resourcefulness of Tyndale and he knew it; however, he saw the opportunity and the need and put forth his best effort. He was a noble man. Though he was not martyred, three times he had to flee for his life. Three times they confiscated everything he owned. Three times he gave up everything he had for the Bible and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. He died in February of 1569 and was buried in St. Bartholomew’s Church.

John Rogers (Born in 1500 — Martyred February 4, 1555)

1537 – First Edition of Matthews Bible

1549 – A Reprint and a Revision

1551 – Four Editions Were Printed

John Rogers was born about 1500 and martyred in 1555. He received his B.A. degree at Cambridge in 1525. From there he entered the priesthood and went to Christ Church, then called Cardinal College in Oxford, England.  About 1534 he became chaplain to the Merchant Adventurers at Antwerp. There he met William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale. These two men witnessed to him and as a result he came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. John Foxe writes of his conversion – “In conferring with them the Scriptures, he came to great knowledge in the Gospel of God, insomuch that he cast off the heavy yoke of popery, perceiving it to be impure and filthy idolatry….”

John Rogers is the preacher responsible for the so-called Matthews Bible. Before Tyndale was martyred, he appointed Rogers as his literary executor and left him his unfinished manuscripts covering Joshua to 2 Chronicles.

Rogers desired a version which would contain all the work his friend Tyndale translated from the original languages because he knew that Coverdale was not familiar with the original languages of the Bible. Therefore the Matthews Bible was a composite of Tyndale’s translation from Genesis to 2 Chronicles, Coverdale’s from Ezra to Malachi and Tyndale’s New Testament. The Bible would be more accurately called the Tyndale-Coverdale Bible, yet Rogers knew that he dare not identify this Bible with Tyndale or it would be rejected. Yet he did not want to identify it with himself because he was merely the editor and had not done the translation work. For that reason the pseudonym Thomas Matthew was used.

1537 Matthews Bible with the huge initials WT

 

It was probably printed in Antwerp and sent to England to be completed by Grafton and Whitechurch, London printers. Grafton passed it to Cranmer who passed it to Cromwell, who gave it to the King and within ten days the King authorized the sale and reading of the Matthews Bible within his realm. That is remarkable when you realize that the King despised Tyndale and just eleven years before, Tyndale’s New Testament was publicly burned! Yet the Matthews Bible, which he licensed for sale and reading, was clearly two-thirds Tyndale’s work.

It should be noted that this Bible edition includes introductions, summaries of chapters as well as some very controversial marginal notes. Perhaps the most controversial was the note associated with I Peter 3:7. The note reads –

“He dwelleth with his wyth according to knowledge, that taketh her as a necessarye healper, and not as a bonde seruaunte or bonde slaue. And yf she be not obedient and healpfull vnto hym endeueureth to beate the feare of God into her heade, that therby she maye be compelled to learne her dutie, and to do it.”

John Rogers was a strong, uncompromising Bible preacher. Historian John Foxe says when “Bloody” Mary came to power “she banished the true religion, and restored the superstitions of idolatry of the Church of Rome, with all the horrid cruelties of blood-thirsty Antichrist”. John Rogers refused to compromise the Gospel and in fact preached it as strongly as ever at Saint Paul’s Cross outside the cathedral church of St. Paul’s in London. For that he was arrested and put in prison and on February 4, 1555 he was burned at Smithfield.

The Great Bible

1539 – First Edition Great Bible

1540 – Cranmer Edition was appointed

to be read in the churches

1569 – Marks the last of over 30 editions

of The Great Bible

This Bible is also known as Cranmer’s, Cromwell’s, Whitechurch’s or the Chained Bible. It is called the “Great Bible because it was the largest of all the English Bibles printed to that time.

Two English Bibles, Coverdale’s and Matthews’, are now being sold with the authorization of the King. There had been no further decree, however Coverdale’s Bible was inaccurate in places and was not translated from the originals, and Matthew’s Bible, the joint Tyndale-Coverdale Bible might cause trouble for its promoters, if the shrewd Bishop Gardiner and his friends should succeed in unmasking John Rogers and the Matthew Bible. Cromwell saw these deficiencies and dangers and he again appealed to Coverdale to prepare another Bible. It must contain no notes.

The collator and translator of the Great Bible was Myles Coverdale. The Bible is based upon the Matthew’s Bible and revised to bring it into conformity with the Hebrew and Latin text of the Complutensian Polyglot.

England was not yet equipped for such beautiful and extensive work as was desired and permission from the French King (Francis) was secured for the printing to be done in Paris, by the famous printer Regnault. Coverdale and Grafton went over to supervise the work. However, the inquisition was on and it was feared that the work might be stopped. Bishop Bonner was Ambassador at Paris and as such, might travel without having his baggage inspected and thus the finished sheets of the printing went to Cromwell via Bonner. Shortly after an order for confiscation came from the Inquisitor-General, and the printer was arrested. There was a delay in the execution and “four great dry vats” of printed matter were sold as waste paper instead of being burned. Cromwell, by shrewd management, bought from Regnault the type, presses and other outfit, and transferred them, along with the printer, to England. The First Edition of this wonderful specimen of the art of printing was ready for distribution in 1539.

How The Chapter and Verse Divisions Came To Be In Our English Bible

The chapter divisions that we use in our Bibles follow the scheme developed by Stephen Langton who was the Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and 1228 AD. As for the verse division, we owe them to Robert Stephanus (Latin name) also known as Robert Estienne (French). He was a Paris printer who printed the Erasmus Greek New Testament (Latin as well). He printed four Greek editions in 1546, 1549, 1550, and 1551. His printing of these Greek New Testaments aroused the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church to such an extent that he was forced to leave Paris and flee to Lyons. He put his family in the carriage, but he rode on horseback. To occupy his time he took out one of the small 1549 Greek New Testaments he printed and marked the place the verse divisions were to be made and numbered them accordingly.

The verse divisions that we use today are because of the efforts of Stephanus. They first appeared in his Greek-Latin New Testament of 1551 and then a whole Latin Bible in 1555, before they appeared in the 1557 Geneva New Testament and the 1560 Geneva Bible.

The Geneva Bible

1557 – The New Testament

1560 – The Whole Bible

From 1560 to 1644 there were at least 160 Editions

Mary I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, took the throne in England in 1553 and set the stage for the creation of the Geneva Bible. Sixteen years earlier her father, Henry VIII, had released the first Bible in English following his separation from the Catholic Church at Rome. However, once Mary was in power, she immediately began forcing all of England back under the authority of the Roman Church and suppressing the circulation of the Bible in the common (English) tongue. Specifically, Mary I issued proclamations in August 1553 forbidding public reading of the Bible and in June 1555 prohibiting the works of reformers Tyndale, Rogers, Coverdale, Cranmer, and others. In 1558 a proclamation was issued requiring the delivery of the reformers writings under penalty of death. A vicious persecution was instituted against anyone who supported the reformers views or attempted to circulate the scripture in English. Overall, nearly three hundred people were burned at the stake under “Bloody” Mary’s reign, and many more were imprisoned, tortured, or otherwise punished. Reformer John Rogers, who produced the Matthews Bible, was the first to be burned. Others who followed the same fate included Bishop Thomas Cranmer, who was involved with the second and subsequent editions of the Great Bible, Nicolas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, and John Hooper, who was often referred to as the “Father of Puritanism.”

It is estimated that during Bloody Mary’s reign as many as eight hundred reformers fled England to seek shelter on the Continent. Some settled in Strasburg, some in Zurich, and some in Frankfort. Many settled in Geneva, the “Holy City of the Alps,” where Protestantism was supreme. The city was under the control of the famed scholar, John Calvin, with the assistance of Theodore Beza. By 1556 a sizeable English-speaking congregation had formed in Geneva with Scottish reformer John Knox serving as pastor. William Whittingham, a tremendous scholar who according to tradition married a sister of Calvin’s wife, succeeded Knox as pastor in 1557.

No new English Bible translations had emerged since the first Great Bible of 1539, and William Whittingham undertook the work of improving the English versions of the New Testament. First published in Geneva by Conrad Badius in 1557, Whittingham produced a revision of William Tyndale’s New Testament “with most profitable annotations of all hard places.” This small, thick octavo edition included an epistle by Calvin himself, which helped to introduce Protestant views to the English people. In this epistle Calvin declared, “Christ is the End of the Law.”

Immediately after the release of Whittingham’s 1557 New Testament, the English exiles entered upon a revision of the whole Bible. Assisted by Beza and possibly Calvin himself, several English exiles were involved in the translating, but it is impossible to say how many. Myles Coverdale, who produced the Coverdale and Great Bibles, resided in Geneva for a time and may have assisted, and a similar claim may be advanced in favor of John Knox. The famed sixteenth-century English historian, John Foxe, was also in refuge in Switzerland during this time. Yet the chief credit belongs to William Whittingham, who was probably assisted by Thomas Sampson, Anthony Gilby, and possibly William Cole, William Kethe, John Baron, John Pullain, and John Bodley.

The Old Testament from Genesis through 2 Chronicles and the New Testament were merely revisions of Tyndale’s previous monumental efforts. The works of Coverdale, Rogers, and Cranmer were also consulted, and the English exiles completed a careful collation of Hebrew and Greek originals. They compared Latin versions, especially Bezas, and the standard French and German versions as well.

While Coverdale’s, Matthews, and the Great Bible were merely revisions of Tyndale’s translations from the original Hebrew and Greek, the Geneva Bible charted new ground. The scholarly English refugees in Geneva completed the translation of the remainder of the Old Testament directly from Hebrew into English for the first time. Tyndale had only translated the Hebrew (Masoretic) text up to 2 Chronicles before he was imprisoned in 1535, and it was not until this handful of scholars assembled in refuge in Geneva that there was sufficient familiarity with Hebrew among reformers to complete the translation of the Old Testament directly from Hebrew. Thus, the English scholars who escaped persecution in their native land and resided in Geneva produced the first English Bible ever completely translated from the original languages.

The work took over two years, and in 1560 the world witnessed a new Bible in English, which is now known as the “Geneva Bible.” In a simple prefatory note, the Geneva Bible was dedicated to “Bloody” Mary’s successor, Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Bolyen.

The Geneva Bible is a Bible of First’s –

•         It was the 1st and only Bible published during the reign of Mary I (Bloody Mary).

•         It was the 1st English Bible to be completely translated from the Biblical languages.

•         It was the 1st Study Bible.

•         It was the 1st Bible to use the easier to read Roman type style instead of the Black Letter style.

•         It was the 1st English Bible to have verse divisions.

•         It was the 1st English Bible to use italicized words where English required more than a literal Greek or Hebrew rendering.

The Geneva Bible was used by many well known people. It was…

•         The Bible of Bunyan

•         The Bible of Shakespeare

•         The Bible of Jamestown & Pocahontas

•         The Bible of the Pilgrims

It is called the “Breeches Bible” because of Genesis 3:7 where they chose the name “breeches” for the covering of Adam and Eve.

The Bishops Bible

1568 First Edition

1572 Revised Edition

The widespread popularity of the Geneva Bible was undermining the authority of the Great Bible, and also the power of the Bishops. Puritanism influenced by the reformers on the European Continent was springing up; non-conformity was in the air. Archbishop Parker and the Bishops felt that something should be done in Bible translations. In 1564 a revision committee containing eight or nine bishops was formed.

The plan was to follow the Great Bible, except where it varied from the Hebrew and Greek and to attend to the Latin versions of Munster (often inaccurate) and Pagmnus, as well as to avoid bitter notes. There were also numerous tables, calendars, maps and other helps.

The Bishop’s Bible was not popular. Queen Elizabeth took no public notice of it, nor did she ever give it her formal sanction and authority. The translation was stiff, formal and difficult. It was unpopular with the people and could not displace the Geneva Bible. The whole work is described as “the most unsatisfactory and useless of all the old translations”. For forty years it was held in ecclesiastical esteem and twenty editions were issued, the last being in 1606.

 1611 — THE KING JAMES BIBLE (Also known as the Authorized Version)

Published Continuously for 400 years

According to Vanderbilt University Press, the King James Bible is the best selling book of all times (Translating for King James by Allen Ward; Vanderbilt Press, 1969; back cover – by way of Majestic Legacy compiled by Dr. Phil Stringer; published by The Bible Nation Society, 2011; p. 7). “More than five billion copies of the King James Bible have been sold over the last 399 years.” (Majestic Legacy compiled by Dr. Phil Stringer; published by The Bible Nation Society, 2011; p. 7)

“The King James Version is the crown jewel of English literature.” (A Visual History of the English Bible; Donald L. Brake; Baker Books 2008; p. 224) “The King James Bible is the most frequently quoted document in existence.” (History Channel Magazine – An advertisement by Thomas Nelson Publishers for KJV400 Celebration).  In fact, the King James Bible is “the most influential book in the history of English civilization.” (Compton’s Encyclopedia; 1995 Edition, by way of Phil Stringer’s book).

How The King James Bible Came To Be

James Stuart (1566-1625) was born to Mary Queen of Scots (Mary I or Mary Stuart) and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley at Edinburgh Castle. He was baptized Catholic because of his mother’s faith. It was a turbulent time in Scotland, the Presbyterians prevailing over Catholics for religious domination. He ascended the throne of Scotland in July 1567, at age 13 months, when his Roman Catholic mother Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) was forced to abdicate. His mother Mary left the kingdom on May 16, 1568, and never saw her son again.

The reason Mary was forced to abdicate was James’s father, Henry Stuart, was murdered in mysterious circumstances shortly after James was born. He was assassinated and it was rumored that Mary had a part in the crime. There had developed a rift between Mary and Henry that became public knowledge. For help, Mary turned to a Scottish nobleman, a very powerful man, the Earl of Bothwell. He engaged the help of other Scottish noblemen to do whatever they could to help the queen in her dilemma. This led to a failed explosion plot and to the strangulation death of Henry Lord Darnley. A few months later, Mary and the Earl married. This incensed the populace who suspected Lord Bothwell’s participation in the murder of their King. Her outraged subjects turned against her.

In July of 1567, at the age of 13 months, James ascended to the throne as King James the VI of Scotland. Though baptized Catholic, he was brought up under the influence of reformed Scottish Protestants. His tutor was the historian and poet George Buchanan who was a positive influence on him. James proved to be a capable scholar.  

A succession of regents ruled Scotland until 1576, when James became nominal ruler, although he did not actually take control until 1581. He proved to be an astute ruler who effectively controlled the various religious and political factions in Scotland.

In 1586, James and Elizabeth I became allies under the Treaty of Berwick. When his mother, Mary Stuart, was executed by Elizabeth the following year, James did not protest too loudly because he hoped to be named as Elizabeth’s successor.

Some wonder why Mary was executed. Here is why. Mary fled to England when she abdicated, seeking the protection of her first cousin once removed, Queen Elizabeth I of England. She hoped to inherit her kingdom. Mary had previously claimed Elizabeth’s throne as her own and was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics, including participants in the Rising of the North in 1569, the unsuccessful attempt by the Catholic Nobles of Northern England to depose Elizabeth and make Mary Stuart Queen.  Perceiving her as a threat, Elizabeth had her arrested. After 19 years in custody in a number of castles and manor houses in England, the 44-year-old former queen was tried for treason on charges that she was involved in three plots to assassinate Elizabeth and found guilty. She was beheaded at Fortheringhay Castle in 1587. Interestingly enough, in 1612 James moved his mother‘s body to Westminster Abbey, constructing for her a magnificent tomb that rivaled that of Elizabeth.

In 1589, James married Anne of Denmark. They had eight children, of whom only three lived beyond infancy: Henry, Prince of Wales (1594-1612), Elizabeth Stuart (1596-1662), and Charles, who became king upon James’ death (1600-1649).

In March 1603, Elizabeth died and James VI of Scotland became King James I of England and Ireland in a remarkably smooth transition of power. After 1603 he only visited Scotland once, in 1617.

James was known as the most educated sovereign in Europe. While he had some good qualities, he was not very popular. Catholics hatched a plot to kill him and others on November 5, 1605, in the Gun Powder Plot. Guy Fawkes was caught in the act of attempting to carry out the deed.

The Division In The Church of England

When James came to the throne all was not well in the Church of England. There were three Protestant versions of the English Bible in circulation:

1)     The Great Bible of 1539 still was used in the Church of England in its Psalm readings.

2)    The Geneva Bible of 1560 was loved by the people because of the verse divisions and the commentary.

3)     The Bishops’ Bible of 1568 was the official Bible of the Church but the translation was stiff, formal and difficult. It has been described as “the most unsatisfactory and useless of all the old translations.”

Likewise, the Church of England was very divided. There were 3 factions. The Romanists wanted to return to the Roman Catholic Church. The Low Church or Puritan party wanted to “purify” the church of Catholicism and maintain an evangelical stance in the church. The Anglo-Catholics or High party was the ritualistic group who wanted an independent English church but keep many of the Roman Catholic rituals, doctrines and traditions. King James did not agree with any of these groups.

The Puritan party complained of certain grievances they had with church officials. James had been proclaimed King on the 24^th of March in 1603. It was not until the May 7^th that he entered London to take possession of the throne. “Between these two dates, and while he was the guest of the Cromwell’s of Hinchinbrook, near Huntingdon, he was approached by certain of the puritan clergy who presented him with what is known as the Millenary Petition.” It was claimed by the circulators of the petition that 1,000 Puritan ministers hand signed the petition.

The Puritans objected to the priest’s making the sign of the cross during Baptism; the use of the ring for marriage which had no biblical basis; the rite of confirmation; Ministers’ wearing of surplices (robes). They viewed them as too Catholic, unessential and extra-biblical, if not completely unbiblical. 

King James I wanted to bring unity within the Anglican Church, therefore he called a conference to be held at Hampton Court Palace on January 16^th, 1604, at which representatives of both parties were to have an opportunity of stating their views to His Majesty.

 

 

“The Hampton Court was built by Cardinal Woolsley in 1515 and it pictures the excesses of the age in which it was built. It took 2500 workmen to build its 1000 rooms.” (Comment by Dr. Ken Connolly in his video – The Story of The English Bible).  It took 500 servants or paid employees to keep it. “It happens to have 250 tons of lead pipe that brings special water into it because they would not use the water which came from the River Thames.” (Ibid.) Hampton Court aptly illustrates the decadence of the prelates of the church. Remember, the man that built it was the ecclesiastical head of the Church in England in his day.

I find it ironic that on Monday, January 6, 1604 James I called about 50 prelates (high ranking church officials) of the church together in an effort to try to straighten out some problems the two factions were having. On the second day of the proceedings, the Puritan President of Corpus Christi College in Oxford, Dr. John Rainolds “moved His Majesty that there might be a new translation of the Bible, because those which were allowed in the reign of Henry VIII, and Edward VI were corrupt and not answerable to the truth of the original.”

The King, sympathetic to the idea, exerted his royal influence to advance the project. King James said he “wished that some special pains should be taken in that behalf for one uniform translation (professing that he could never yet see a Bible well translated in English, but the worse of all his Majesty through the Geneva to be), and this to be done by the best learned in both Universities; after them to be reviewed by the bishops and the chief learned of the Church; from them to be presented to the Privy Council; and lastly, to be ratified by his royal authority…He gave this caveat (upon a word cast out by my Lord of London) that no marginal notes should be added, having found in them, which are annexed to the Geneva translation, some notes very partial, untrue, seditious, and savouring too much of dangerous and traitorous conceits.” (The Printed English Bible by Richard Lovett; pp.134-135)

The Translation

The next step was the actual selection of the men who were to do the translation work. In July of 1604, King James wrote to Bishop Bancroft that he had “appointed certain learned men, to the number of four and fifty, for the translating of the Bible.” These men were the best biblical scholars and linguists of their day. In the preface to their completed work it is further stated, “there were many chosen, that were greater in other men’s eyes than in their own, and that sought the truth rather than their own praise. Again, they came or were thought to come to the work, learned, not to learn.” Other men were sought out, according to James, “so that our said intended translation may have the help and furtherance of all our principal learned men within this our kingdom.”

Although fifty-four men were nominated, only forty-seven were known to have taken part in the work of translation. Historians indicate that a number of these changes were due to death. It should also be noted, as the 11^th Edition of Encyclopedia Britannica says, “It is observable also that they [the translators] were chosen without reference to party, at least as many of the Puritan clergy as of the opposite party being placed on the committees.” (Encyclopedia Britannica – 11^th Edition of 1911; Volume III; p.902)

Bishop Lancelot Andrews, who besides having an intimate knowledge of Chaldee, Hebrew, Greek, and Syriac, was familiar with 10 other languages, chaired the translating work. The translating team was divided into 6 divisions; two at Westminster, two at Cambridge, and two at Oxford.

The translation work did not get underway until 1607. When it did, ten at Westminster were assigned Genesis through 2 Kings; the second team of 7 had Romans through Jude.

At Cambridge, eight worked on 1 Chronicles through Ecclesiastes, while seven others handled the Apocrypha.

Oxford employed seven to translate Isaiah through Malachi; eight occupied themselves with the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation.

As each group completed their particular assigned part, it was then subjected to the other 5 sets of men so that each part of the Bible came from all the learned men. When they had completed their work, a final committee of six members at London carefully reviewed it.

These Fifteen general rules were advanced for the guidance of the translators:

·         The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops’ Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the Truth of the original will permit.

·         The names of the Prophets, and the Holy Writers, with the other Names of the Text, to be retained, as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used.

·         The Old Ecclesiastical Words to be kept, viz. the Word Church not to be translated Congregation, etc.

·         When a Word hath divers Significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the Ancient Fathers, being agreeable to the Propriety of the Place, and the Analogy of the Faith.

·         The Division of the Chapters to be altered, either not at all, or as little as may be, if Necessity so require.

·         No Marginal Notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek Words, which cannot without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the Text.

·         Such Quotations of Places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit Reference of one Scripture to another.

·         Every particular Man of each Company, to take the same Chapter or Chapters, and having translated or amended them severally by himself, where he thinketh good, all to meet together, confer what they have done, and agree for their Parts what shall stand.

·         As any one Company hath dispatched any one Book in this Manner they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously, for His Majesty is very careful in this Point.

·         If any Company, upon the Review of the Book so sent, doubt or differ upon any Place, to send them Word thereof; note the Place, and withal send the Reasons, to which if they consent not, the Difference to be compounded at the general Meeting, which is to be of the chief Persons of each Company, at the end of the Work.

·         When any Place of special Obscurity is doubted of, Letters to be directed by Authority, to send to any Learned Man in the Land, for his Judgment of such a Place.

·         Letters to be sent from every Bishop to the rest of his Clergy, admonishing them of this Translation in hand; and to move and charge as many skilful in the Tongues; and having taken pains in that kind, to send his particular Observations to the Company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford.

·         The Directors in each Company, to be the Deans of Westminster, and Chester for that Place; and the King’s Professors in the Hebrew or Greek in either University.

·         These translations to be used when they agree better with the Text than the Bishops’ Bible: Tyndale’s, Matthew’s, Coverdale’s, Whitchurch’s, Geneva.

·         Besides the said Directors before mentioned, three or four of the most Ancient and Grave Divines, in either of the Universities, not employed in Translating, to be assigned by the vice-Chancellor, upon Conference with the rest of the Heads, to be Overseers of the Translations as well Hebrew as Greek, for the better observation of the 4th Rule above specified.

“The execution of the work occupied about three years, and both the length of time employed and the elaborate mode of pro­cedure adopted indicate the pains that were taken to make the translation worthy of its high design.  In 1611 the new version was given forth to the public.  There seem to have been two impressions of this first edition, probably due to the impossibility of one printing office being able to supply in the time allotted the number of copies required, about 20,000.” (A Brief Sketch of The History of the Transmission of the Bible Down to the Revised English Version of 1881-1885 by Henry Guppy; 1936).

Before I move on, I want to clarify Guppy’s statement; there seem to have been two impressions of this first edition. Here is what he is referring to. There is the so called “she” Bible and the “he” Bible. The “he” Bible is the rarer of the two. The way to distinguish between the two is by turning to Ruth 3:15 and if it reads — “Also he said, Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city,” it is a “she” Bible. If, on the other hand, the last part of the verse reads – “he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the city,” it is a “he” Bible. All of the King James Bibles of our time, with the exception of the 1611 Thomas Nelson reprint, are “she” Bibles. There are those who would point to this as an error on the part of the translators. I’m not so sure. Here’s why. There are Hebrew manuscripts that include the same variant. Therefore, the problem is with the Hebrew as it is confusing.

As I come to the end of this booklet on the King James Version of the Bible I want to note that in England particularly, it is commonly referred to as the “Authorized Version.” But strange it was never formally authorized. To date, no evidence has been produced “to show that the version was ever publicly sanctioned by Convocation, or by Parliament, or by the Privy Council, or by the King.  It was not even entered at Stationers’ Hall, with the result that it is now impossible to say at what period of the year 1611 the book was actually published. (Ibid.)

No other translation past or present has been so meticulously done and carefully reviewed. The superintending hand of God was apparent. As one author put it, “the result was an edition of the Word of God unrivaled for its simplicity, for its force, and for its vigor of language. It was, and is to this day, a compendium of literary excellencies, and much better, has proved itself to be a faithful and accurate translation of the very Word of God.”

We can readily discern from the instructions given to the translators that our King James Bible was “Newly translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised.” It was, “Printed by His Majesty’s special command, and appointed to be read in the churches.” It is to this day the premier of all English translations, being a most scholarly, accurate, and faithfully executed witness of the very mind of God.

King James 1611 First Edition, First Printing

The Great “He” Bible

You may personally contact Mr. Ecklund at Douge93@cs.com

Deepak Chopra has written twenty-five books, which have been translated into thirty-five languages. He is also the author of more than one hundred audio- and videotape series, including five critically acclaimed programs on public television. In 1999 Time magazine selected Dr. Chopra as one of the Top 100 Icons and Heroes of the Century, describing him as “the poet-prophet of alternative medicine.” Dr. Chopra currently serves as CEO and founder of The Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla, California. (1)

At a State Dinner held March 21, 2000 in India, President Clinton made the following remark, “My country has been enriched by the contributions of more than a million Indian Americans, which includes Dr. Deepak Chopra, the pioneer of alternative medicine.”

The above accolades demonstrate the acclaim and level of popularity that Deepak Chopra has garnered as a holistic medical practitioner.  This individual advances an innovative approach to mind-body medicine.  He combines modern medicine, Ayurveda, ideas from quantum physics, and ancient wisdom into a new age blend of holistic thought and practice.

Only vague familiarity with Deepak Chopra accompanied research into his writings.  Expectations leaned only toward the advancement of typical alternative medical ideas and practice, tinged with strong inclinations toward Ayurveda.  What emerged was far more profound and subtle, requiring exposition and exposing.

Examination of the collective writings of Deepak Chopra reveals a philosophy not confined solely to the physical aspects of our existence.  His doctrine radiates toward the inclusion of the metaphysical nature of our being and our status in the cosmos.

The design of the systematic view expounded by Deepak Chopra is to deliberately lead to the construction of a new worldview.  Verification can be found on his website:

It is the mission of our organization to heal, to love, to transform and to serve. We are dedicated to changing the prevailing worldview from one that views human beings as physical machines with thoughts to one that understands that we are conscious energy – Spirit – disguised as individuals. I am honored that you are taking time to visit us on your journey to healing and self-discovery. 

The intent upon the fabrication of a new worldview is evident in his writings:  “We will explore a place where the rules of everyday existence do not apply.  These rules explicitly state that to grow old, become frail, and die is the ultimate destiny of all.  And so it has been for century after century.  However, I want you to suspend your assumptions about what we call reality so that we can become pioneers in a land where youthful vigor, renewal, creativity, joy, fulfillment, and timelessness are the common experience of everyday life, where old age, senility, infirmity, and death do not exist and are not even entertained as a possibility.

If there is such a place, what is preventing us from going there?  It is not some dark continental landmass or dangerous uncharted sea.  It is our conditioning, our current collective worldview that we were taught by our parents, teachers, and society.

Your body is aging beyond your control because it has been programmed to live out the rules of that collective conditioning.” (3)

The first step in changing the prevailing worldview is to deconstruct the existing one:  “If there is anything natural and inevitable about the aging process, it cannot be known until the chains of our old beliefs are broken.” (3)

In Ageless Body, Timeless Mind the author declares that we “must discard ten assumptions about who you are and what the true nature of the mind and body is.”  This is necessary because these “assumptions form the bedrock of our shared worldview” and must be supplanted.  The legitimacy of the referenced assumptions may be argued from different philosophical basis, but the fact remains that they are expounded because revision of these foundational blocks advances his ideology.  The most salient and pertinent of these discarded assumptions are as follows:

#1  “There is an objective world independent of the observer, and our bodies are an aspect of this objective world.”
#2  “The body is composed of clumps of matter separated from one another in time and space.”
#3  “Mind and body are separate and independent from each other.”
#4  “Materialism is primary, consciousness is secondary.  In other words, we are physical machines that have learned to think.”
#5  “Human awareness can be completely explained as the product of biochemistry.”
#6  “As individuals, we are disconnected, self-contained entities.”
#7  “Our perception of the world is automatic and gives us an accurate picture of how things really are.” (3)

The authenticity for the necessity of a change in worldview is obtained from science.  The writings of Deepak Chopra cite scientific assent in order to substantiate a new belief system:  “Hundreds of research findings from the last three decades have verified that aging is much more dependent on the individual than was ever dreamed of in the past.

However, the most significant breakthrough is not contained in isolated findings but in a completely new worldview.

To challenge aging at it’s core, this entire worldview must be challenged first, for nothing holds more power over the body than beliefs of the mind.” (3)

The author states, “It is most important to replace wrong beliefs with truth.  Only by getting rid of outmoded and self-limiting beliefs can life take on a new meaning.”  The author quoted here is not Deepak Chopra however; it is Phillip Cooper, author of Basic Magick.  For magick practice to prosper, it is necessary to wage an assault on existing beliefs and truth: likewise, the first tenant of Deepak Chopra’s teachings involves just such an assault.  Phillip Cooper states, “Beliefs are the key to magical power.” (4)

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Proverbs 23:7)  

Each of the existing assumptions will be replaced to reference a new paradigm, or worldview, from which we will operate:  “Each assumption of the old paradigm can be replaced with a more complete and expanded version of the truth.  These new assumptions are also just ideas created by the human mind, but they allow us much more freedom and power.  They give us the ability to rewrite the program of aging that now directs our cells.” (3)  

The impact of these new assumptions will be cited throughout further writings: and the application and implication of the new worldview will be examined.  These new assumptions will form the basis for the construction of a new worldview in which magic and witchcraft will flourish.  We will, in short, be instructed in our ability to re-invent a new worldview from which we can create our new world.  A new world that will bend to our will and desire: a new world of gross heresy and occultism.

Our present world is not to be viewed as objective reality.  We interpret the reality of our world and a revised interpretation will manufacture a new world:  “Although things `out there’ appear to be real, there is no proof of reality apart from the observer.  No two people share exactly the same universe.  Every worldview creates its own world.” (3)

Again, only the most pertinent of the “new assumptions” will be examined.  These new assumptions can be delineated; but they are progressive, cohesive, inter-dependent, and overlapping in nature.  Also, the order of his new assumptions has been reorganized solely for clarification.

The first new assumption of Deepak Chopra dictates that “the world you live in, including the experience of your body, is completely dictated by how you learned to perceive it.  If you change your perception, you change the experience of your body and your world.” (3)

We must realize that ” who you are depends on what world you see yourself living in.  Because it is ruled by change, the first world contains sickness, aging, and death as inevitable parts of the scenery; in the second world, where there is only pure being, these are totally absent.

But the new paradigm assures us that there is a level of nature where time dissolves, or, to turn it around, where time is created.” (3)

In expounding the first assumption, he states; “Everything a person experiences must pass through a mental filter before it registers as real, which means that we are constantly engaged in making reality.” (5)

The first assumption removes the existence of absolutes from our current worldview:  ” Because there are no absolute qualities in the material world, it is false to say that there is an independent world `out there’.” (3)

This new assumption ingrains the belief that reality does not exist independently of us.  The individual creates reality.  The individual’s own perception dictates reality.  The five senses do not relay the existence of reality; our perception does.  The five senses serve only to confirm our perception:  “Perception, we must conclude, is infinitely flexible, serving the mind in any way the mind chooses.  We create new worlds inside our private universe, worlds that the five senses then confirm as real.” (5)

Change in perception is primary to the successful advancement of magical practice; as can be read in True Magick: “The work of magic involves transformation, and the first transformation is the shift of perception.” (6)

The second new assumption of Deepak Chopra serves to cultivate a perceptual change: “In their essential state, our bodies are composed of energy and information, not solid matter.  This energy and information is an out cropping of infinite fields of energy and information spanning the universe.” (3)

Deepak Chopra elaborates on this perceptual shift by utilizing quantum physics as verification: “Your body appears to be composed of solid matter that can be broken down into molecules and atoms, but quantum physics tells us that every atom is more than 99.9999 percent empty space, and the subatomic particles moving at lightning speed through this space are actually bundles of vibrating energy.  These vibrations aren’t random and meaningless, however; they carry information.”  The accentuated perception is that matter is composed of energy. (3)

Deepak Chopra will carry this one step farther where a quantum is “defined as the basic unit of matter or energy-waiting to take physical form” and “at this level, matter and energy become interchangeable.  All quanta are made of individual vibrations-ghosts of energy-waiting to take physical form.  Ayurveda says that the same is true of the human body-it first takes form as intense but invisible vibrations, called quantum fluctuations, before it proceeds to coalesce into impulses of energy and particles of matter.”  The logical consequence of the conveyed perception is that; we are composed of matter; matter is composed of energy; and since matter and energy are interchangeable- we are energy.  Our bodies are to be viewed as the materialization of amalgamated energy.   We are the physical forms of energy. (7)

The fact that witches also uphold the concept that we are physical forms of energy is no mere coincidence. In the book True Magick we read that; “Energy is abundant.  Everything can be said to consist of energy vibrating in various wavelengths.  We are energy forms.” (6)

Complete, almost verbatim, corroboration from yet another witch in the areas related to perception of reality, the nature of matter, and quantum physics can be documented: “We continue to say seeing is believing.  We continue to hold the ultimate test of reality is to see, touch, taste, hear, or smell it.  But several interesting discoveries have forced scientists to move on.  The first thing they discovered was that the solid world around us wasn’t solid after all.  Atoms, once thought of as the very building blocks of reality, turned out to be capable of splitting.  Inside them was mostly space and a few subatomic particles.

Most of these discoveries are categorized within quantum physics.  Quantum physics tells us that when you dig deep enough into the universe, there’s nothing there.  Its structures are information structures.  If it’s like anything at all, it’s like a dream.

You and I live in this unreal universe, equipped from the moment of our birth with what appears to be a solid body.  But the solidity of the body is in the same category as the solidity of the world.  It’s a perception of the senses.  If you could see your body as it really is, most of it consists of empty space.”(9)

Accordance from a witch is obtained in regard to the importance of our perception in determining the reality of the nature of matter:  “The bottom line is that solid matter does not exist as it appears to us.  Subatomic particles are abstract entities, and the way they appear and behave depends on how we look at them.  The determining factor is how our consciousness perceives them.”  Even more revealing is the following statement, in which we see the same appeal to quantum physics to convince us to adopt the perception that we are energy forms:  “An even more recent revelation is the quantum-field theory, which completely replaces the traditional notion that solid particles and the space surrounding them are separate and distinct.  Solid objects, then, are only temporary condensations of energy that come and go in that field.  This is very similar to what the oriental sages say about `form’ and `emptiness’ being the same thing.” (8)

What is apparent at this stage, is that witches, and Deepak Chopra, draw from the realms of quantum physics and “Ancient Wisdom”.  These two realms are utilized to supplement and express identical dogma.  Both camps evoke credence from quantum physics to garner acceptance for their Ancient Wisdom.  Both derive knowledge from Ancient Wisdom: either from Ayurveda or from Magick.  In Power of the Witch, it can be established that “A witch is-a person of knowledge, a person versed in both scientific and spiritual truths.”  What also is revealed is the universal meaning of wisdom: “In many languages witch is the hidden word, concealed in the common, everyday terms for wisdom.” (8)

Deepak Chopra’s intention to change our perceived reality is generated from his Ancient Wisdom: “For me, the goal of Ayurveda is to transform the patient’s personal reality.”  Ayurveda is described as being the gift of knowledge and India’s “guide to life”. (10)

The knowledge derived from Ayurveda is Ancient Wisdom: “its knowledge is rooted not in technology but in wisdom.” (11)  

Deepak Chopra’s concept of energy is derived from ancient Indian teaching: “Prana is present in every mental and physical event.  You sometimes see Prana defined as `life force’ or `life energy’.”  Indian teaching is again reflected when he states; “In India the body is perceived first as a product of consciousness and only secondarily as a material object.”  Our physical form is to be considered a manifestation of the underlying “life energy”. (3)

Drawing equally from the wells of science and Ancient Wisdom, a witch can exhibit harmony of canon by conveying that quartz crystal exists as “a lattice of subtle energies, a structure of forces, which holds the material crystal together.  These subtle energies are of great importance, and not just in magic.  Ch’i, ki, or Prana, are words for subtle energy.” (12)

Deepak Chopra’s conception of an illusive reality is fashioned by quantum physics, and aligned with Indian principle: “Why do we accept anything as real?  Because we can see and touch it.  We see and touch things that occupy three dimensions.  Yet Einstein and his colleagues were able to remove this mask of appearances.” (3)

Deepak Chopra’s notion of masked reality harmonizes and expands Indian dogma:  “Maya is a Sanskrit word that means `illusion’ or `delusion’, but much more besides.  Maya also means `magic’, a show of illusions.  Maya denotes the delusion of thinking that you are seeing reality when in fact you are only seeing a layer of trick effects superimposed upon the real reality.”  He goes on to say that; “Reality is always open to revision.  The only way out of Maya is to wake up from its spell.  In our culture, the spell has become respectable as `hard’ science.”  Hard science must yield to the revised quantum physics perception in order to fashion a new science, which is compatible and supportive of Ancient Wisdom. (5)

In regard to this new science, a witch expounds on its value as an approach to forming a solid grounding for Witchcraft: “To witches magic and science are equal threads of power, woven through the same fabric of life.  Magic and the natural sciences are allies, and together make up the Science of Witchcraft.  

The New Science Tradition draws on both Ancient Wisdom and the latest developments in theoretical physics.  It blends the new science with the old laws of magic.” (8)

The third new assumption set forth by Deepak Chopra states that;  “The biochemistry of the body is a product of awareness.  Beliefs, thoughts, and emotions create the chemical reactions that uphold life in every cell.” (3)

According to Deepak Chopra, “The new reality ushered in by quantum physics made it possible for the first time to manipulate the invisible intelligence that underlies the visible world.  Einstein taught us that the physical body, like all material objects, is an illusion-the unseen world is the real world.”  This statement, which blends quantum physics and Indian belief, sets forth the position that there is an underlying “intelligence” generating and operating our physical being. (3)

The location and essence of this “unseen intelligence” is revealed: “The void inside every atom is pulsating with unseen intelligence.  Geneticists locate this intelligence primarily inside DNA, but that is only for the sake of convenience.  There is one single intelligence shared by the whole body.  The flow of this intelligence keeps you alive.  In India the flow of intelligence is called Prana (usually translated as `life force’), which can be increased and decreased at will, moved here and there, and manipulated to keep the physical body orderly and young.” (3)

Reading in Power of the Witch, similar reference can also be found in regard to this “intelligence”; “The basic `stuff’ of the universe-matter and energy-is really information-information encoded in the DNA structures that form and shape all created life.”  What can be extrapolated from this statement, is that the creative intelligence under discussion is energy. (8)

Deepak Chopra, relying upon Ayurveda, elaborates on the creative “flow” of “intelligence” in the physical body: “The ancient doctors of India were also great sages, and their cardinal belief was that the body is created out of consciousness.  

When you look at Ayurveda’s anatomical charts, you don’t see the familiar organs pictured in Gray’s Anatomy; rather, you find astonishing diagrams of where the mind is flowing as it creates the body.” (11)

He is delighted with the ability of our new science to document this age-old belief in this “flow” of “intelligence”.  He purports that we can verify this flow by examining neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, which are involved in the relay of information in the body.  He claims that “the discovery of `floating’ intelligence confirms the model of the body as a river.  We needed a material basis for claiming that intelligence flows all through us, and now we have it.”  What is evident, is that the belief is supported by a tainted interpretation of scientific discovery.  What has been advanced however, is the concept that awareness is a creative-energetic-consciousness flowing through out the body. (11)

The fourth new assumption of Deepak Chopra states, “The mind and body are inseparably one.  The unity that is `me’ separates into two streams of experience.  At a deeper level, however, the two streams meet at a single creative source.  It is from this source that we are meant to live.” (3)

The overlap in the new assumptions will become quite evident at this juncture.  The floating intelligence previously alluded to will be clarified.  Deepak Chopra elaborates on the “creative core” that he has referenced, as he writes, “When you get in touch with your own inner intelligence, you get in touch with the creative core of life.”  Having identified the “core” as being “intelligence”, he moves on to further make clear the interpretation of “awareness”: “In the old paradigm, control of life was assigned to DNA.  In the new paradigm, control of life belongs to awareness.”  He references “awareness” again by remarking that Prana (“life force or life energy”) “flows directly from spirit, or pure awareness, to bring intelligence and consciousness to every aspect of life.”  Intelligence, consciousness, awareness, and our creative core are all comprised of energy: and all are synonyms for our spirit.  Spirit is the seat of our emotions, thoughts, will, intent, and desires.  Discernment reveals that our “life energy” flows from the creative core of our spirit. (3)

The “creative core” spoken of by Deepak Chopra is also referred to by witches: “The center has been called spirit, essence, soul, consciousness.  It is the deep you-the whole of you-the gateway to all knowledge.” (13)

The fifth assumption of Deepak Chopra states, “Although each person seems separate and independent, all of us are connected to patterns of intelligence that govern the whole cosmos.  Our bodies are part of a universal body, our minds an aspect of a universal mind.” (3)

Deepak Chopra makes the assertion that although we perceive ourselves to be separate and autonomous from our environment, the reality is that we are only an extension of our external world.  We possess the ability to remove our perceived barrier and experience oneness with all of creation: “You and your environment are one.  If you choose, you can experience yourself in a state of unity with everything you contact.” (3)

Witches avow this ideology of connection to the universe.  In True Magic it can be read that “Everything is connected.  Possibilities are infinite.” (6)

In Power of the Witch we are informed that  “the Seven Hermetic Laws are the basis of witchcraft.”  These are core, foundational principles, which elucidate and order the philosophy and practice of witchcraft.  While there may be variance among occultists in reliance upon the Hermetic Laws, the prescribed concepts can be recognized in virtually all of witchcraft’s culture.  To a witch, the connection to the universe upholds the Hermetic Law of Cause and Effect; where everything can interface with everything; and everything can influence everything; “We are literally plugged into the entire universe.” (8)

Deepak Chopra draws from his Ancient Wisdom to identify the gist of nature: “In India’s ancient Vedic tradition, the most basic force underlying all of nature is intelligence.” (7)

Previous extrapolation concluded that our intelligence was a synonym for our spirit: it follows that if nature is also composed of this energetic intelligence, then our spirit is equivalent to the universal intelligence.  Deepak Chopra, in Return of the Rishi, confirms that connection where he writes; “Nature is composed of one intelligence.  Man is part of nature.  Therefore, man’s intelligence connects him to the universe.” (10)

We can be assured by another statement of Deepak Chopra that we are coupled with this cosmic intelligence: “Your body is-a flowing organism empowered by million of years of intelligence-every cell is a miniature terminal connected to the cosmic computer.” (3)

Deepak Chopra applies the term “unified field” to the cosmic pattern of intelligence that integrates mankind with nature: “It is now believed that a single superfield, called the unified field, exists; it is the ultimate reality that underlies all of nature-since we too are part of nature, we must be part of the unified field.  It is in and around us all the time.” (7)

In Quantum Healing, Deepak Chopra describes this force of intelligence as being active in originating and sustaining creation: not only in us, but in the entire universe: “Clearly, there is a counter force pushing evolution along, creating life, fending off the threat of entropy.  The counter force is intelligence, which at the quantum level is far more than a mental phenomenon.  Intelligence holds together the blue print of each cell in its DNA, and many scientists now believe the same holds true of the entire universe.  Intelligence is a synonym for creative power.” (11)

In Power of the Witch, the character of this universal intelligence is clarified.  Deity is directly attributed to this intelligent life force, which has been so ambiguously alluded to by Deepak Chopra: “The Earth and all living things share the same life force; the earth and all living things are composed of Divine Intelligence.” (8)

This same abstraction, which purports the connection to a cosmic universal mind, is found in Basic Magick: “Everyone has a subconscious mind, and all of these minds are connected together-linked to the Universal Mind.” (4)

Both Deepak Chopra and a witch will make direct reference to the existence of a Universal Mind.  In the Seven Hermetic Laws, this is known as The Law of Mentalism, which states; “the universe is mental, or mind”.  According to this premise, we have a connection to an energetic, Divine Intelligence active in creating and sustaining creation: a Life Energy flowing around and in us. (8)

The principles presented by this new assumption of Deepak Chopra are completely aligned with witchcraft.  In Power of the Witch we read, “All knowledge exists in the Divine Mind, which constantly flows in and out of our own minds because our individual minds are not separate from the Great Mind that created us.”  The perception is that, we are one with the “Great Mind”.  (8)

Possibly, the most crucial element to be instilled in an individual to facilitate the practice of witchcraft is the realization that we are connected to the entirety of creation and to the creative source.  According to a witch, when we access our center, or spirit, we can find an actuality where “there are no dividing lines here between that which is within and that which is without.  Fully realizing this removes the illusion of separateness that is the stumbling block to the activation of spell crafting.” (13)

Deepak Chopra, through his writings, has instilled the critical factors which enable the practice of magick; the first, that we are comprised of information; and second, we exhibit unity with everything.  The importance of these teachings is related in Magick for Beginners: “You are; at your most fundamental, an information pattern used by the Great Unmanifest to generate a space-time event.  From this perspective, you are one with everything.  It is this unity which is the enabling factor of magic.  For while these ideas have reappeared in quantum physics, they are the same ideas, expressed in different language, that have been taught by mystics and magicians for millennia.  You are one with the All.” (9)

Deepak Chopra proclaims in Return of the Rishi, that the intelligent force, which governs the universe, is in us and is reflected by us: “The inner intelligence of the body is the ultimate and supreme genius.  It mirrors the wisdom of the universe.” (10)

The internalization of this central doctrine by an individual is paramount in the advancement of witchcraft.  The logical purpose in teaching our connection to the universe is to foster the adoption of the perspective, in which, we are promoted as being corresponding vessels of the intelligent energy of the universe. Our reality is not to be confined only to our external physical world, but is to be appreciated at a level where the power of the universe is manifested in our being.  According to this principle there exists a reciprocal relationship between the universe and us.

This viewpoint is foundational in the practice of magick, and reflects yet another of the seven Hermetic Laws.  Natural Magic states that ” central to traditional magical philosophy is a concept called the Principle of Macrocosm and Microcosm, which holds that each human being is a complete reflection of the entire universe, and vice versa.”  This Hermetic Law of Correspondence implies that “every magical energy in the universe has it’s exact equivalent inside every human being.”  This principle is exactly what Deepak Chopra has paraphrased in his writings. (12)

In Power of the Witch, the Law of Correspondence is stated: “As above, so below; as below, so above.”  He goes on to say, “We also live in a spaceless–timeless realm independent of the physical universe.  The Principle of Correspondence tells us that what is true on the Macrocosm is also true on the Microcosm and vice versa.  The Law of Correspondence directs witches toward the most appropriate tools and ingredients for “seeing” and for casting spells.” (8)

The Principle of Correspondence can clearly be identified in the medical framework embraced by Deepak Chopra: “Medicine then, consists of letting like speak to like.  Take the remedy whole, as Nature provides it, and through its similarity to ourselves, it can restore health.”  The remedy (an herb, for example) is considered to be equivalent to us: by choosing and administering the herb that best expresses the desired equivalent aspect; the power of the herb is aligned with our life energy resulting in the curative restoration of harmony.  This is what a witch referred to as the most appropriate tool.  For a witch, or Deepak Chopra, the criteria for selecting an herb is based on Hermetic Law.  (10)

In Unconditional Life, Deepak Chopra will directly affirm this principle employing his Ancient Wisdom; “The ancient Indian sages declared, as is the macrocosm, so is the microcosm, as is the atom, so is the universe, as is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind.” (5)

In power of the Witch, we can read that “intelligence becomes not just a human trait but an essential aspect of the entire universe.  At last physicists support and confirm an understanding of the universe that witches have always had, and in so doing they make it immensely easier for us to explain our magic.”  We are to comprehend that we are connected to and one with the creative life force.  The physical world is a parallel manifestation of particular characteristics of this universal intelligence.  Occult knowledge of physical reality enables an understanding of the nature and equivalence of the universe, which is appropriated in magick.  We are then to internalize this initiated knowledge, and give it expression: “Witches are among the wise ones who participate in the work of creation in order to nourish the people and protect the earth.  Their rituals and ceremonies, their spells and incantations, their prayers and sacrifices were expressions of their oneness with the source of all life, the Great Mother of all living things.” (8)

The sixth and final assumption of Deepak Chopra states “The physical world, including our bodies, is a response of the observer.  We create our bodies as we create the experience of our world.” (3)

This final assumption asserts that the individual exercises a creative ability in fashioning the material world in which he lives. This is witchcraft or magick.

A witch will provide a statement very similar to Deepak Chopra’s sixth assumption, where he states that “the natural magician weaves a web of power to reshape the universe of his or her experience in accordance with will.”  The creation of experience is synonymous to creating individual personal reality. (12)

Quotations from the writings of Deepak Chopra will refute the notion that the assertion of his promotion of magick is contrived, or misconstrued: “The very word `magic‘ has a sinister tone to most of us-but the threat has been greatly exaggerated.

Meaning slips through the fingers of science, which provides any person who is interested in meaning with a good reason to take magic seriously.

The materialistic bias of science leads it to shun things that cannot be directly contacted by the senses.  Yet nature has reserved a huge region set apart for things that cannot be seen, touched, or weighed.”  Deepak Chopra, of course, rationalizes that his magic is of a different variety than witchcraft; his brand of natural magic is the “kind of magic that I would like to demystify.” (5)

A witch can easily present an identical view of magick, which minimizes any association to the supernatural.  From Power of the Witch we read; “On some level of consciousness we know that these skills are not supernatural, but natural“. (8)

Yet another witch echoes an analogous position; “Magic-The art of causing change by means commonly supposed to be supernatural.  The use of powers not yet recognized by science.  The use of powers that reside within us and the natural objects of our world to cause change.” (14)

A synopsis at this point will be helpful in consolidating and revealing the thrust of all these assumptions taken together:

We must change our perception of reality-in order to realize that all matter is energy.  We must grasp that we are energy.  This energy has been derived from the power at our core.  Our core is connected to the “source” of life.  Unifying the power of our core energy with the power of the “source” and directing it outward to the external world consummates the manifestation of our will and desire.  Simply put, this is a formula for magick.

A witch will express that magick involves the manipulation of energy in order to create a desired material world: “By our active involvement in nature we determine what nature is; we take physical things and turn them into energy; we take energy and shape it into material things.  In other words we do magic.” (8)

According to Basic Magick, “Everything that we see and touch is matter, which contains energy-magick is the art of getting to know about this energy and learning how to use it.

Magick is the science of using your subconscious mind to gain whatever you wish from life.

You have a subconscious mind, which is your servant.  It will do whatever you wish, using life energy to manifest your desires into physical fact.  All you have to do is give it instructions.  Magick is concerned with the giving of such instructions.” (4)

True Magick states that “magick involves using natural forces to effect willed change” (6)

Accessing his Ancient Wisdom, Deepak Chopra exhibits alignment with the magickal axiom of the utilization of forces, or energies, in the achievement of desired effects.  He makes reference to “Dharma”, which according to Indian tradition, is the force that upholds the universe: “Human awareness is capable of touching Dharma directly-Dharma is not a set of religious teachings but an actual force that can be discovered and used.”  As previously mentioned, Prana is synonymous with the concept of “life force”; Deepak Chopra likewise recommends the utilization of this force: “the ability to contact and use Prana is within all of us.” (3)

Deepak Chopra is in complete accord with the logic and purpose of magick: “The hallmark of magical thinking is the person’s firm belief that he can control reality with his mind.” (5)

He further coincides with magical thought by holding the position that “reality is everyone’s personal creation.

If I can change my mind, and if the world is made of the same stuff as my mind, then I can change the world.

The Rishis claim that wrapped up inside us is the capacity to command every force of nature, to influence every atom in the universe.

Once we fix upon our deepest desires; they must come true.” (5)

In Quantum Healing, Deepak Chopra reiterates the penchant of magical thought; “We all have the power to make reality.”  (11)

Primarily operating from a medical perspective, Deepak Chopra’s focus remains on physical healing; yet, this aspect is of great import to a witch as well.  Deepak Chopra sates that “we are the only creatures on earth who can change our biology by what we think and feel.”  This statement conveys the notion that our thoughts have the capacity to directly affect our physical body.  This concept is again reflected in this statement; “Most basic bodily processes respond to our state of mind.”  Our thinking can adversely affect the physical condition of our body. (3)

In Basic Magick, the impact of thought on the individual’s health is attested to; “Without knowing the truth, people inflict all manner of ailments and misery on themselves due to their own thoughts.” (4)

In Power of the Witch we read; “As witches we bend the energies of nature and humanity to promote healing, growth, and life.”  Healing is a predominant benefit sought after through magickal pursuit and one of its main enticements: “First and foremost, the magic-makers were healers who could diagnose illness and prescribe the correct medicine and ritual to heal their patients.  The ancient healer’s magic worked because it was holistic, drawing on the patient’s own healing power and working with the elements and spirits of the patient’s environment.  It dealt with both the physical and spiritual causes of disease.” (8)

Referring once again to quantum physics, Deepak Chopra writes; ” The old space-time model was smashed, replaced by a timeless, flowing field of constant transformation.” (3)

A view of constant transformation is inculcated in witchcraft because magick is a system of transformation, dedicated to the shaping of reality.  The Return of Spirit alludes to the spiritual nature of the universe as being “a cosmic flow of energy that creates, sustains, and transforms moment by moment the universe of which we are a part.” (15)

Presenting a distorted reinterpretation of the innate systems of bodily function and regeneration, including physical healing, propagates a state of constant transformation.  Deepak Chopra conveys this by writing: “We are `creating ourselves all the time’

We are placed here in this world to manage a project that is equivalent to building a new universe every day.” (7)

Physical healing is utilized as a gateway to advance the understanding and overcome resistance to metaphysical thought: to breach individual thinking for the cultivation of a perspective, wherein, what can be observed on the physical level of the body, can be extrapolated to the cosmic level.  By depicting the body’s normal and autonomous cellular changes, as being orchestrated by our conscious participation, entitles development of the ability to transform the external world as well: to advance one from the microcosm to the macrocosm.

The holistic medical model presented by Deepak Chopra emphasizes the development of  “awareness” in the individual to defeat disease and the aging process.  Deepak Chopra states, “Awareness has the power to change aging-you can focus attention on parts of the body that are expressing discomfort.

You can activate desires and intentions to fulfill them more efficiently.  An intention is basically a disguised need.

Awareness is used as a healing power: it restores balance wherever it is allowed to flow freely.” (3)

Ayurveda, with some apparent quantum physics, once again propels Deepak Chopra to adopt a variant view of illness, which sates “Ayurveda says that illness results from distortions in the patterns of quantum vibrations that hold the body intact.” (7)

According to Deepak Chopra, “Human awareness is capable of sensing these faint vibrations.” (7)

It follows that if we are capable of sensing these distorted vibrations, information in regard to the presence of a particular illness is being conveyed.  Illness results from the disruption in the harmonious flow of energy in the body.  Restoration of the invisible patterns that order our bodies will reinstate harmony and wellness.  This concept also lines up with one of the Hermetic Laws.  The Law of Vibration is expounded in Power of the Witch where, “Everything moves and vibrates with its own rate of vibration.  Nothing is at rest.

We do send messages and information by the energy we radiate.” (8)

Deepak Chopra informs us that “The guiding principle of Ayurveda is that the mind exerts the deepest influence on the body, and freedom from sickness depends upon contacting our own awareness, bringing it into balance, and then extending that balance to the body.” (7)

Deepak Chopra relates that our awareness is a power that can be brought to bear on our illness.  Our awareness will perceive our need and direct the conscious application of power to affect healing.  We are to equate accessing awareness with consciousness.  Deepak Chopra states, “Consciousness is a force that most of us undervalue.  Generally we do not focus our inner awareness or use its real power, even in the most difficult moments of crisis.  Yet, everyone possesses consciousness.

Apparently the successful patients have learned to motivate their own healing.” (11)

Awareness, or consciousness, is the ability to apprehend and focus our inner source of energy to fulfill a desire, or need.    Awareness is thought; and thought generates intent.  Our spirit has been alluded to by terms such as center, source, or consciousness.  The spirit is the seat of intent; and the root of magick is intent.  Deepak Chopra refers to a state of transcendence, where “The secret of life at this level is that anything in your body can be changed with the flick of an intention.” (7)

Deepak Chopra relates that we are to exert our awareness, or our will, over our environment and ourselves: “In the new paradigm, control of life belongs to awareness.” (3)

A witch will also relate that awareness contributes to the development of the personal power necessary for the practice of witchcraft: “Awareness means control of one’s undertaking.” (13)

In magick, intent is of great significance.  The denotation and function of intent can be extracted from the communication of a witch: “Magic is intent.  Witches are taught that the most important factor in magic-making is intent.  You must firmly visualize in your mind’s eye the thing you wish to have happen.  See it as if it has already taken place, or been brought into manifestation.  This adds to the power of your magic.” (14)

In discussing magic, a witch will also underscore consciousness: “Consciousness lies at the heart of magic and is the reason that the power of magic really works.  In other words, a witch’s consciousness can effect changes in the physical world (or mental and emotional worlds) because, based on what we know from subatomic experiments, what we see and how what we see behaves, depends on our participation, our effort, our involvement.

The witches’ belief that thought can be projected out into the universe and impact on external reality makes perfect sense.  Thought projections can become external realities because there is no separation of mental reality and external reality.”(8)

Deepak Chopra will demonstrate that all of his doctrine has been propelling us to adopt a philosophy, which is identical to that of a practicing witch.  The inculcation of our ability to exert control over our physical body was deliberate, and designed to procure acceptance that our external world can be manipulated by the projection of our intentions.  Deepak Chopra states that “The new paradigm tells us that our underlying reality, the field, is continuous and therefore equally present at all points in space time.  Your awareness and every intention that springs from your awareness are enmeshed in this continuity.  This means that when you have a desire; you are actually sending a message into the entire field-your slightest intention is rippling across the universe at the quantum level.  We have already seen that when you have an intention related to your body, it gets carried out automatically.  The same thing should occur, then, with intentions you send outside your body-the field has the organizing power to automatically bring fulfillment to any intention.” (3)

The Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft carries a description of magick that is in complete accord with Deepak Chopra: “Magick is the art and metaphysical science of manifesting personal desires through the collection and direction of energy.  Essentially magick works on the principle that desire can be concentrated into a cohesive energy called a thought form.  Thought forms can be directed into the astral plane, a realm where concepts become material forms.  From the astral plane the desired outcome of a work of magick moves toward manifestation on the material plane of existence.”  Deepak Chopra designates his spiritual realm as “the field”, while an adept magician would refer to this realm as “the astral plane”; both, with different vocabulary, are describing the same metaphysical arena. Both share the same concept, in which, thoughts or intentions are described as being sent into the “astral plane”, or the “field”, where they are fulfilled. (16)

Deepak Chopra, by relating that intentions sent outside the physical body can influence the external world, is in conformity to the Hermetic Law of Cause and Effect.  In a discussion of this Hermetic Law a witch relates that “thoughts and intentions directed from the mind to the external world-make a definite impact.” (8)

Certain techniques, knowledge, and abilities must be developed in order to practice magick adroitly.  In Magick for Beginners we read that “Beginning with nothing, we evoke certain stresses on another plane.  These are then earthed through skill, training and knowledge.  The result is a change on the physical plane.” (9)

The writings from Power of the Witch reveal that the knowledge and power to practice witchcraft comes from a shift in consciousness: “Magic is knowledge and power that come from the ability to shift consciousness at will into a nonordinary, visionary state of awareness.  Traditionally certain tools and methods have been used to cause this shift: dance, song, music, colors, scents, drumming, fasting, vigils, meditation, breathing exercises, certain natural foods and drinks, and forms of hypnosis.  In almost every culture some form of visionary trance is used for the sacred rituals that open the doorways to the Higher Intelligence or for the working of magic.” (8)

Scrutiny of the techniques recommended by Deepak Chopra will reveal similarities to those disseminated by witches.  The expectation for advocating these tools and methods can be discovered when a witch discloses that “All of the techniques described-are basic requirements for most self-development training in occult traditions.” (13)

One of the most conspicuous tools to “shift consciousness” is meditation.  Meditation is highly endorsed by Deepak Chopra, as evidenced by his prompting the reader to “block out some time to experience silence.  Ideally this would mean a short period of meditation.” (3)

In recommending meditation a witch states that “One of the most difficult but necessary means of not only understanding your true nature, but also of using the mindscape in practical magic, is through this technique or its variation, contemplation, in a field of either active or passive silence.”  He goes on to relate, “The process of meditation is like a stimulant that helps your center open and close freely and intentionally” (13)

Deepak Chopra sanctions the necessity for techniques that nurture the individual’s competence for finding one’s center: “In order to remain centered and calm when everything around you is in confusion, you need to develop skills for finding your center.” (3)

A witch also reflects on the significance of centering and connecting in order to work magick: “It is extremely important that you be aware of or sensitive to your inner state, no matter what outside distractions or duties demand your attention.” (6)

Meditation as a tool in witchcraft, promotes a state of relaxation, which is essential for the practice: “A prerequisite for successful magical work is the ability to become calm.” (4)

Upon reflecting on the failure of certain intentions to manifest, Deepak Chopra prescribes an operating formula for magical practice.  The following elements, representing the “mechanics”, which if implemented, will procure the successful fulfillment of intentions, are detailed and compared to those of witches.

Deepak Chopra writes, “When two people want the same thing, they don’t always get the same result; this is because the quality of intention changes as it is sent into the field and then reflected back as a result.  Never the less, whenever a desire comes true, the mechanics have certain similarities for every person:

A certain outcome is intended.

The intention is specific and definite; the person is certain about what he or she wants.” (3)

One witch writes, “Thinking about your ritual intention helps get the intention firmly in the mind.” (4)

A witch, dictating the constituents involved in the working of magick, begins with the identification of the desire, or intent, as well; “First there must be a reason to call upon magical powers.  This reason is need.

Next a spell or ritual may need to be devised.

Third the herbs can be enchanted to ensure that their vibrations are attuned to the need.” (17) 

In this reference, the writer was disclosing the working of magick within the realm of magical herbalism.  In this framework he recommends the “enchanting” of the herbs.  It can be learned that enchanting “means simply `sing to’-a short rune or poem is often repeated in a sing song or monotonal manner-this helps reinforce the image in the mind as well as to channel the energies of the herbs themselves.  The real effect of this lies not in the words spoken but in the intent.” (14)

Deepak Chopra writes of a concept from Ayurveda called “primordial sound”, which is applied to focus and direct healing.  Primordial sound consists of utilizing specific vibrations that correspond to the vibrations of body.  These complimentary sound vibrations act to tune the body back to a harmonious state.  Primordial sound exhibits acknowledgment of the power of “enchanting”: “A primordial sound can be spoken or chanted aloud; it is more powerful still if used internally, as a mental sound.” (7)

Deepak Chopra emphasizes the individual’s need to impose an attitude of expectation and confidence on the intent; “The person expects a result and has confidence in the outcome-worry, uncertainty, and doubt are the three primary obstacles that prevent us from making efficient use of the power contained in every intention.” (3)

Similarly, a witch states, “the spell is worked, in complete confidence and secrecy.” (17)

Deepak Chopra exhorts the reader to forget the process in order to achieve the desired outcome: “Little or no attention is paid to the details of the physiological processes involved.  Indeed, paying attention to the details inhibits the flow of the impulses of intelligence that produce the outcome, slowing down or preventing success (let go of the desire).” (3)

A witch will often make the same recommendation to ensure the manifestation of the spell; “once the spell has been worked, it should be forgotten.  This allows it to `cook’ and bring your need into manifestation.” (17)

In Basic Magick we read, “The best way to sum up magical procedure is: Think-Act-Forget.” (4)

Deepak Chopra states, “At the end of the process, there is no doubt that the outcome was obtained by a definite, conscious process that extends beyond the individual to a larger reality-for some this is God or Providence, for others it is the Self or the Absolute.  I have been using a more scientific term, the field, but without excluding any of these more traditional spiritual names.  In all cases, the material world is an expression of an unmanifest, overriding intelligence that responds to human desire.”   According to Deepak Chopra the overriding intelligence of the universe, or the “field”, is the source of the operation and power that manifests our desires as physical reality. (3)

In the writings of a witch, accordance can be found supporting the idea that this overriding intelligence is subservient to our desires: “Universal Intelligence seeks only to help you achieve that which you desire.” (4)

Deepak Chopra relates in his writings that in addition to a physical body interacting with the physical world there exists a more notable parallel “quantum mechanical body” that operates in the ethereal dimension of “the field”.  Deepak Chopra emphasizes harmonizing the physical and “quantum mechanical body” to optimize life.  The resulting harmony is to then be extended to include the “field”.  Deepak Chopra elaborates, “Living in tune with your quantum mechanical body.  This is the total creative act of life.  All daily activities will proceed smoothly” since we don’t “disrupt cosmic harmony.”  We are “one cell in the cosmic body”. (7)

Deepak Chopra defines the “quantum mechanical body” as a vaporous energetic entity that “occupies no well-defined space and never wears out.” He goes on to say that this body is more thought than substance, and emanates out of the “field”: “Your quantum mechanical body is awareness in motion and is part of the creative field of awareness that exists at the source of creation.” (3)

This parallel body is linked to the working of magick, as attested to by a witch; “You must have a second body-an energy body that exactly mirrors the physical in magic.”  He goes on to write “The astral body is composed of mind stuff: or, more accurately, imagination stuff.”  An astral second body operates in the astral plane to serve as the conduit for the working of magic resulting in the manifestation of intentions on the physical plane. (9)

Deepak Chopra is desirous for his readers to awaken from our sleep of ignorance and realize that within each of us lies a dormant faculty of power.  We are to comprehend that we are connected to the “Universal Intelligence” which, enables us to create and cast our reality: “The age-old idea that our minds can interact with the world needs to be more closely examined.  Otherwise, we will not be able to tell if we have turned or backs on superstition or overlooked a dormant power that might be awakened from its long sleep.” (5)

Deepak Chopra wants us to regain and wield the power of a Rishi, or seer, in the shaping of our reality.  His zeal is for the reader to control the forces of the universe to manifest individual desire: “The goal of life is to wake up-and regain the power of a Rishi, whose slightest desire is taken as a command by the forces that that shape reality.” (10)

A witch will also urge the reader to embrace our forgotten and latent powers; “Everyone has psychic powers or soul powers, and each of us can relearn-or remember-how to use them.”  We are all to be encouraged to practice witchcraft.  We need only to remember and relearn this forbidden practice.  (8)

Deepak Chopra not only wants us to wake up from the slumber that has obstructed our practice of magical endeavor, but he wants to awaken and enlighten us to a higher appreciation of our true nature.  The “field” that Deepak Chopra has so often referred to, is the arena from which, all our intentions are manifested.  He goes on to say, “We are all part of the field; the field is existence itself, flowing in, around, and through everything.  It is the arena where all possibilities unfold.

The field is omnipresent and omnipotent.

The most famous sentence in the Upanishads declares, `I am That, Thou art That, and all this is That’.  A quantum physicist could not quibble with these assertions, once he translated the word `That’ as the `Field’.”  The Ancient Wisdom of Deepak Chopra teaches him to equate “That” with God.  Discernment would lead to the conclusion that Deepak Chopra is equating the field with God. (5)

Deepak Chopra tutors his readers to embrace the concept of full equivalence with the field “To identify fully with the field, then, is a practical definition of what it means to be enlightened.” (5)

Deepak Chopra writes clearly that our essence is the field itself: “This Quantum field isn’t separate from us-it is us.”  Ancient Wisdom has imparted the parity that exists between the “field” and God.  By accepting that we are indistinguishable from the field, then by logical progression, we too are to be equated with God. (3)

Deepak Chopra’s endearment to this “quantum mechanical body” is expressed by his predilection to foster its merit as a gateway back to the “true self”.  He states, “Your quantum mechanical body has all the sensitivity of a child’s, and you can use that sensitivity to get back to your true self.”  To maximize magical practice we must be enlightened as to the attributes of our true self. (3)

Deepak Chopra wants to enlighten and propel the reader to achieve the state known as “unity consciousness”: “The state known as unity consciousness is the state where awareness is complete.” (3)

Unity consciousness is the state where an individual attains to a level of complete understanding of his self-divinity.  Deepak Chopra writes, “The merging of love, truth, and reality is the great revelation of unity consciousness, the moment when a person can truthfully say, `I am the All‘, and, `I am Love‘, in the same breath.” (3)

Deepak Chopra writes “But beneath even the most rigid conditioning, there is a layer of awareness that agrees without equivocation to the words `I am Love’.”  This statement reveals that our old assumptions have buried the intuitive knowledge of our deity and obstructed the flow of our creative function. (3)

A witch declares that at our core is the Divine.  There is no difference in philosophy between a witch and Deepak Chopra when it comes to proclaiming the blasphemy of mankind’s godhood.  A witch in conformity with Ancient Wisdom states, “The High Self is the Divine within, the ultimate and original essence, the spirit that exists beyond time, space, and matter.” (6)

A witch declares, “You and God are the same, you have the capacity to create, you are Godlike.

This is a kingdom of pure thought in which you will find peace of mind, indulge in pure fantasy, or cause changes in the physical world.  It is yours, your kingdom, your realm, your inner world.  You must therefore control and rule as would a king or queen, you are a god in your own universe, and may be whatever you will be, for whatever reason.

The subconscious mind is literally the God within, your own genie, if you like.”  As God we not only create but also dictate the order of our world.  From within us come forth the standards to determine right and wrong.  It is our world, our rules, and all personal accountability to God is abdicated. (4)

Deepak Chopra has adeptly ushered his readers to the transcendent apex of Ancient Wisdom.  The exhaustive presentation of his sundry tenets has completely furnished his readers with the mindset and the tools for the adoption of occultism. The experiential verification gained from magical exercises incites the practitioner toward acquiescence to self-deification.  Participation in magical practice purports to increase the flow of divinity in life to empower the individual as co-creator and ordain immortality. 

Deepak Chopra summarizes in the following statement the consummation of his efforts directed toward proselytizing the transformation of magical thinking and the enlightenment of equality with God: “Just by being ourselves, we are borne toward a destiny far beyond anything we could imagine.  It is enough to know that the being I nourish inside me is the same as the Being that suffuses every atom of the cosmos.  When the two see each other as equals, they will be equal, because then the same force that controls the galaxies will be upholding my individual existence.  If a man claims to be enlightened, I only need to ask, `Do your desires effortlessly come true?’  If he says yes, I can accept that his thinking has turned magical.” (5)

Deepak Chopra has stated that his intention was to present a more complete and expanded version of truth; truth that has been presented in his new assumptions; truth that has admittedly been predicated on ideas created by the human mind.  The Bible speaks in regard to the merit of the thoughts arising from the imagination of man.

“The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.” (Psalms 94:11)

The new assumptions of Deepak Chopra, along with the philosophy of his Ancient Wisdom, have induced the reader to adopt a philosophy parallel to the theory and practice of witchcraft.  Witchcraft is not to be embraced or flirted with.  Witchcraft is forbidden by God and is sin.  The works of our sin nature, which include witchcraft, are evidentially laid out in the Bible.  

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:” (Galatians 5:19-21)

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,” (1 Samuel 15:23)

God commanded separation from occultism and the sinful practice of witchcraft.

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-11)

The zenith of witchcraft is the apprehension of individual equality with God.  Pride and self are exalted; and desires are given free reign within witchcraft.  Satan energizes the practice and deceit inherent in witchcraft, which ultimately culminates in embracing self-deification.  

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” (Isaiah 14:12-15)

“Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Se’lah.” (Psalms 140:8)

Deepak Chopra has disseminated blasphemous doctrine by appropriating “I am Love” to self.  There is only one True God: who is revealed in scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: who alone is attributed as being love.  

“: for God is love” (1 John 4:8)

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:22)

Deepak Chopra has asserted the need for a new paradigm.  He has insisted that we discard present thinking in favor of the internalization of a new way of thinking.  The reader has been prompted to shed old beliefs and to look at the world and ourselves in a new context, and a new truth.  The Bible is the only truth that can transform the mind and the individual.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Deepak Chopra has stated that what appears to be solid matter, including our physical bodies, is in actuality empty space.  He has affirmed that our physical senses only confirm the existence of what we have perceived or created to be real.  Deepak Chopra has by this teaching, nullified the ability of our senses to convey and verify reality.  In so doing, he has undermined the apostolic witness of the Lord Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.  Scripture relates the physical reality, which can be verified by our senses, as an evidential proof for the confirmation of the revelation that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.  To impugn the reliability of the physical proofs presented by first hand testimony, discredits scripture itself.  Never the less, scripture is truth.  

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” (1 John 1:1)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1&14)

Deepak Chopra has inculcated the idea that we are participants in our own creation.  This view distorts our capability, and by ascribing the creative act to us, usurps the scriptural acknowledgement of God.

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalms 100:3)

Deepak Chopra has advanced the doctrine that we are connected to everything, and we are able to experience oneness with his god.  The Bible states that we are not inherently at one with God, but are separated from his righteousness by our sin, and require reconciliation with God.  Only in Christ can we secure peace with God and unity with one another.

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

It is only in Christ Jesus that unity is brought to fruition.

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” (Ephesians 1:10)

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21)

Scripture provides warning in regard to false doctrine, which is at variance with the Word of God.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” (1 Timothy 4:1)

Deepak Chopra writes, “As you sift through this solid-looking, convincing body, you only have to go so far before you wind up with a handful of nothing.  Yet this nothing is not really a void but a womb.  With incredible fertility, our inner space gives birth to-God, heaven and hell, grace, sin, salvation, damnation-and everything, in fact, that makes life worth living.”  Scripture is the external and objective revelation of reality.  Reality is not generated nor established from within ourselves; and denial of scriptural disclosure has grave consequence. (5)

The eternal punishment of sinners is reality according to the Word of God.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

The wrath of God upon sinners is revealed in the Word of God.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” (Romans 1:18)

The Word of God reveals all to be sinners.

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10)

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)

There is nothing that we can do to merit salvation.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;” (Isaiah 64:6)

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)

The Bible reveals the wrath of God on sinful mankind, and the individual guilt of each person.  The Bible reveals the grace of God.  Salvation is by the grace of God through faith, and is not earned by our good works.  God so loved us that he has provided the free gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus Christ.  In Christ alone is salvation and the forgiveness of sin.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The Gospel has been revealed according to the Word of God.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”  
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Christ Jesus paid the penalty for sin as our substitute by the shedding of his blood; by his death and resurrection.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

The righteousness of God is revealed.  God is holy and righteous, and must punish sin.  On the cross, it was upon Christ Jesus that God poured out his wrath on sin to satisfy his justice and justly extend forgiveness.  We must believe the gospel and place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Faith is trusting in God and believing his Word.  

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26)

The righteousness of God, in place of our sin, is imputed to us by faith.  We receive the very righteousness of Christ Jesus through faith in him.

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” (Romans 4:24)

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:9)

The only way to stand in the presence of God is to be cleansed by the blood of Christ, and receive his life, and his righteousness.  You must repent by renouncing and confessing you sin and guilt; and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who shed his blood, died for your sin, and rose again for your justification.  Receive the Lord Jesus as the true and living God, and your Saviour; receive his gift of eternal life; receive his kindness and his love.  Come to Jesus.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31)

The problem is that Deepak Chopra does not know God.  Rather than a personal God, as reflected in scripture, Deepak Chopra presents God as being an intelligence which, manifests as undifferentiated force.  His perception of God as energetically permeating every entity in the universe actually diminishes God and deprecates mankind.  Deepak Chopra, and a witch, can only envision God as a force which, being fettered by physical law, must through prescribed ritual, acquiesce in fulfilling our desires and will. Rather than subjecting our will to a sovereign and omnipotent God, we have a flow of power available for universal and indiscriminate utilization.  It is only by the Word of God that we can know God in truth.

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)  

Neither the imagination of man, nor Ancient Wisdom, provides the truth that mankind must have to escape the judgement of God, and receive the gift of eternal life.  Only by knowing The Lord Jesus Christ can we know truth.  Only by being in Christ can we know life.

“Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:” (Psalms 144:11)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1)www.Randomhouse.com

(3)Ageless Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old
By Deepak Chopra
1993
Three Rivers Press/New York 201 E 50th St., Ny,Ny 10022

(4)Basic Magick: A Practical Guide  
By Phillip Cooper
1996
Samuel Weiser, P.O. Box 612, York Beach, ME

(5)Unconditional Life: Discovering the Power to Fulfill Your Dreams
By Deepak Chopra
1991
Bantam Books

(6)True Magick: A Beginners Guide
By Amber K
1999
Llewellyn Publication, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(7)Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide
By Deepak Chopra
1991
Harmony Books; a division of Crown Publishers, inc.,201 E 50th St., New York, New York 10022

(8)Power of the Witch: the Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightenment
By Laurie Cabot with Tom Cowan
October 1990
A Delta Book published by a division of Bantam Doubleday, Dell Publishing Group, inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036

(9)Magick for Beginners: the Power to Change Your World
By J.H. Brennan
2000
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(10)Return of the Rishi
By Deepak Chopra
1988
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA

(11)Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine
By Deepak Chopra
1989-1990
Bantam Books

(12)Natural Magic
By John Michael Greer
2000
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(13)Rituals, Spellcasting, and Sorcery: Witchcraft Theory and Practice
By Ly De Angeles
2000
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(14)Magical Herbalism
By Scott Cunningham
1982,1997
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(15)The Return of Spirit: A Woman’s Call to Spiritual Action
By Josie Ravenwing
1996
Health Communications, 3201 SW 15th St., Deerfield Beach, Fl

(16)Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft
By Raven Grimassi
2000
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(17)Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
By Scott Cunningham
1985, 1997
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 55164-0383, U.S.A.

(18) All Scripture is from The Authorized King James version of the Holy Bible

Our thanks to Doug Ecklund R.Ph. who spent many hours researching this article for our Logos Resource Web site.  You may personally contact Mr. Ecklund at Douge93@cs.com . 
 

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Links to Topics:

INTRODUCTION
HERBALISM; A COMPONENT OF THE HOLISTIC HEALTH MODEL
HERBAL REMEDIES IN THE PHARMACY
BASIC CONCEPTS IN HERBALISM
CONCEPTS OF ENERGY AND BALANCE IN HERBALISM
THE BRANCH OF CHINESE MEDICINE
THE BRANCH OF AYURVEDA
THE NATIVE AMERICAN BRANCH
EARTH RELIGIONS AND WICCA
A TRUNK OF THE OCCULT AND MAGIC
IN CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

By way of background, I am a practicing pharmacist. Since graduation from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, in May 1973, I have been in the retail setting.

The increasing acceptance and promotion of herbalism in retail pharmacy has been of growing concern to me, from both a professional, and Christian viewpoint.

My biblical view shapes every sphere of life, including my professional acumen, and is the basis for evaluation of the ideologies and views being propagated within todays holistic health framework, where herbalism has its roots.

Alternate belief systems abound within holistic medicine in general and herbalism in particular, which are not built on empirical foundations, but on the philosophical and the spiritual.

My intent is to illuminate the underlying philosophies expressed by a segment of herbalists that is driving the promotion and inculcating of herbalism, and holistic health within our culture.

My desire is that you will read this earnestly; note its documentation; carefully consider the contents; and will receive benefit.

HERBALISM; A COMPONENT OF THE HOLISTIC HEALTH MODEL

My purpose is not to detail the holistic health system, but a brief overview of this new medical paradigm is necessary, since within this model, herbalism is discovered.

At its core, holistic health embraces preventing and treating the underlying cause of disease and treatment of the whole person. It is a change in attitude and approachmore than an absence of illness, it is an active state of physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, and social wellbeing-an inherent characteristic of whole and integrated human beings. Its foundations are promotion of health and disease prevention-mobilize self-healing, with self-responsibility and self-education and self-discovery opportunities.(1)

I have no opposition to these basic tenets. My concerns arise in arenas where spirituality is addressed, and where scientific standards are laid aside in the evaluation of treatment modules.

Holistic health integrates all forms of health practices, which in the past, were relegated to the bizarre, the fraudulent, or the questionable.

Upon searching the web under holistic health, my very first link revealed an array of health practices including-acupuncture, yoga, spiritual development and healing, naturopathic medicine, energy healing systems, and community and planetary healing.(2)

Holistic health is alternative medicine or natural medicine.

This system minimizes, and often exhibits disdain, for the scientific method. The scientific method is based on ordered unbiased thinking that relies on proof of theory as a result of measurable, repeatable, and observable testing or experimentation.

When reason and the demand for evidence is discarded, the door is opened to embrace any invalid practice. Within this climate, only theories and suppositions abound to explain disease states, and the effectiveness and rationale of proposed treatments. When the obstacles of rationality are removed, the infusion of esoteric thought ensues.

HERBAL REMEDIES IN THE PHARMACY

Sales of herbal products in the United States pharmacies are estimated around two billion dollars a year and have been increasing 25-30% each year for the past five years.(3)

One recent survey revealed that the frequency of use of unconventional therapy in the United States was far higher than previously reported. One in three respondents reported using at least one unconventional therapy in the past year.(4)

Most herbal remedies sold as dietary supplements are placed in category 2 or 3 by FDA panels on over the counter drugs. This means that the FDA has not received sufficient data to allow the remedies to be classified as category 1: safe and effective drugs. Sufficient data involving expensive basic research and clinical trials would require a prospective manufacturer to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a non-patentable product. There would be no economic incentive for a manufacturer to make this investment.(4)

Since the FDA does not regulate herbal supplements, there are issues involving content and potency of product. Many herbal products are mislabeled and/or contain different plants than those indicated on the label. This often results from an initial misidentification of the herb in the field, or the use of less expensive substitutes. (4)

Consistency and standardization is another issue. A recent study in the United States revealed that many products containing feverfew had no detectable levels of this active component. Another study revealed that 60% of the 54 ginseng products tested contained far less then known therapeutically effective levels of ginseng, with 20% containing none at all.(4) Additionally, of equal concern, products may be laced with indomethacin (a prescription anti-inflammatory), silver, lead, or mercury. (3)

Conventional medicine is blending with non-conventional or alternative medicine. The result of such merging is loss of separation.

Differentiation between opposites will preserve integrity, but compromise always corrupts and eliminates truth. After compromise and assimilation, neither system will retain its prior identity and distinctiveness. The end result will be, either a unique entity, or one of the systems will be totally absorbed.

Conventional medicine has compromised its standards and has created a void filled by unrealistic and unsubstantiated claims and testimonials. Into this vacuum has flooded ideology; even mysticism and occultism have latched onto the herbal marketplace.

BASIC CONCEPTS IN HERBALISM

Viewpoints are numerous and divergent within the sphere of herbalism. Many hold strictly clinical evaluations as to the benefits of use, while others, use the herbs as an introduction to New Age- occult beliefs. To the group seeking efficacious and accessible alternatives to alleviate disease, I have no dispute. The other group, however, requires exposing of true motivation and proclivities, as exposure to their doctrine is inevitable within a self-education driven system.

Among the various proponents of herbalism, there can be found areas of commonality.

Somehow, conventional medicine has failed to fulfill its cultural mandate in supplying an adequate, comprehensive vehicle for health care delivery. For whatever reasons, justifiable or not, it has been deemed; uncaring; inaccessible; uneconomical; and untrustworthy. People have become disenchanted with the ability of conventional medicine to resolve and cure disease.

The purveyors of herbalism have stepped in to help fill the gap. By offering a system that is complementary, and possesses an ability to offer more affordable, comprehensive, and effective care, they hope to provide what is missing from conventional medicine alone.

Many herbalists purport that the unique qualities of herbs substantiate them as valid substitutes at least, and superior at best, to pharmaceutical medications. Herbalists are expressing this viewpoint on the basis of natural purity; synergy; and advantage in regard to harmful side effects and toxicity: Within this context, herbalists offer their definition of a medicine: To be a valid medicine to modern medical science, is to be a drug.(5)

Herbs are differentiated from drugs: Herbs are considered unique from drugs, in that, they contain elements in the amounts that nature intended.(6)

The superiority of herbs due to synergistic operation is expressed: Herbs operate optimally in synergy, which is one herbs interaction with the next, that expands the quality of the whole, so as to be much more than the sum of the individual parts.(7)

The superiority of herbs is related in regard to toxicity: When an alkaloid (the active ingredients in most plants) is extracted from a benign and helpful plant, it becomes concentrated; powerful; and in some cases, lethal. It becomes in short, a chemical-a drug-you no longer have a herb, or an herbal remedy.(5)

Herb advantage in regard to their natural purity is expressed: Drugs contain a single active substance, which has been extrapolated from a plant and synthesized. Herbs, on the other hand, provide a broad array of catalysts, which work together harmoniously—-drugs made synthetically are not used in this natural form. This new synthetic drug is in a form that is foreign to the body. In contrast to drugs, herbs are natural and safe. They do not build up in the body producing side effects.(6)

The superiority of herbs is related to their natural purity: Herbs and plants are most effective when used in their natural, balanced states.(6).

The herbalists view of the self-healing capacity of the body, is that, herbs best activate it: Herbalists believe that the body can heal itself, using natural herbal therapy to activate the bodys own self-healing powers.(6)

From here, we enter into an arena where science and reason commence the evaporation into a nebulous cloud of the esoteric.

Here is where the intellect and science will fail in its ability to be the savior of mankind: an area where, if we rely on ourselves, and upon our intellect, it will consign us to the depth of darkness.

At this point these pied-piper herbalists call us to explore;

CONCEPTS OF ENERGY AND BALANCE IN HERBALISM

While herbalists do not expend effort to discover the mechanical or chemical interactions on human physiology, they do not all invalidate this aspect.

The majority of herbalists ascribe energy to herbs in order to explain their efficacy. A vast number of herbalists will concentrate on the energy of the herb alone; or relegate this energy as being, along with the pharmacological or bio-chemical action of the herb, the other component in herbal action.

In order to elude verification of the exact mechanism of action, clinical trials are minimized: Critics have taken alternative medicine to task for providing relatively few, clinical double-blind studies. according to Mary L Chavez, pharm. D., interim assistant chair for clinical evaluation at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, Downer Grove Ill. However, practitioners might say, such trials cannot be done because alternative therapy, which is based on the holistic approach, may differ markedly from individual to individual.(4)

The dominant feature ascribed to herbs is their energy and its interplay with us. Defining herbal effect by the concept of energy is void of supportive evidence; unreasonable; and unscientific in approach.

In general, drugs operate by a bio-chemical interaction. Energy by broad definition conveys a force. There is no substantiation in ascribing energy to an herb mechanism of action, and to do so, is strictly arbitrary. I believe, this application of energy is deliberate, and possibly deceptive, in order to substantiate spiritual beliefs. Their concept of energy is preexistent, and the mechanism by which herbal action is explained conforms to their bias. This concept is the focal point, from which will spring forth-metaphysical ripples of belief. As on a pond, billows will carry many peripheral belief systems to the shore of our thought.

According to Terry Willard, Ph.D., herbalist and author, Each herb has its own nature, which for want of a better word, we call its personality. It would be silly to assume herbs dont have patterns of energy beyond mere molecules. A first step in understanding Herbology lies in appreciating the fact that we should focus just as much on the essence of personality of the herb, as on the scientific descriptions.(7) He further relates, A herb is a living substance, and has its own constellation of energy. We dont think of our selves, or our pet dog, as being merely a conglomeration of physical parts. We have emotions, mental concepts, and spiritual feelings.(7)

Being presented, is a shift in perception, which compels us to view herbs as possessing human attributes and essence; and ascribes equal spirituality to human, animal, and plant.

In All About Herbs we read, There are several types of herbal medicine systems that are used today. European, Native American, Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Western herbalism are the most prevalent systems. Despite differences in terminology, and in the herbs used, there is a common thread that joins these systems; all of these systems treat the body as a whole, and they each utilize the ENERGY of PLANTS to work as needed, in synergy with the natural ENERGY in each INDIVIDUAL.(8) (Capitalization mine)

We are advanced one step further by this subtlety, which presents, the energy of the herb working in conjunction with our energy.

This thought is carried forth by Terry Willard, Ph. D., where he states, In our own past, and around the world, an alternative means of organizing medical care is known. This system starts with THEORIES (note the terminology) of life energy, and relates it to the physical forms of human beings and diseases they have.(7) (Capitalization mine) He adds, This energy is known by many names: THE LIFE FORCE, chi, prana and also vital energy.(7) (Capitalization mine) This LIFE FORCE terminology will crop up later, but from a source other than an herbologist.

Another herbalist, David Hoffman, maintains this Life Force concept when he conveys, Far beyond the physical level, they (herbs) can also work on the level of LIFE FORCE that empowers us.(9) (Capitalization mine)

Having established the principles of the presence of energy in the herb, and in us, we are now introduced to elucidation in regard to operation.

Returning to Terry Willard, Ph. D., who is concise in relating, The purpose of non-allopathic medicine is to keep energy flowing correctly, or if flow is improper, to return it to its natural path. The herbalist role is not so much attack disease, but maintain natural flow of energy. Disease is the blocking of natural vital energy.(7)

In The Herbs of Life, accord with energy balance is fostered: Traditional cultures, which use herbs according to a THEORETICAL SYSTEM. (Again note the terminology), use herbs energetically—-To use herbs energetically, we look beyond the symptoms of the disease to alleviating the underlying IMBALANCE, which caused the disease. The herbs energies are matched with that of the person, and the disease and its cause.(10) (Capitalization mine)

In an article from Snowbound Herbals, a pharmacist explains herbal action: Herbalism works to restore BALANCE in the body.(11) (Capitalization mine)

These concepts are a radical departure from our conventional approach to disease, and completely realigns how we think of ourselves. This disease model is completely foreign to our conventional system of medicine, and radically redefines disease.

Thinking is completely altered. If accepted, it will lead to a view of us, as being conduits of energy. Our energy is to be kept in a harmonious, natural, and free-flowing path. Any disruption in flow will cause imbalance and loss of equilibrium. Also implied, is an interconnected relationship between the herb and us-mutual dependency-an equating of essence. Body, soul, and spirit lose differentiation, and become energy. According to this dogma, we are ENERGY.

The foundation has been laid to accept energy, and harmonious balance of energy flow. The acceptance of these concepts is paramount to embracing the overriding philosophies, of which, herbalism is only an aspect.

Herbalism is incorporated into their belief systems, and its utilization reflects a practical application of their beliefs.

These beliefs will now advance into our thinking, by way of herbalism, in order to expound a false spirituality.

I will endeavor to convey this allegorically by using a TREE. The LEAVES of the tree represent herbalism: the philosophical systems are the BRANCHES: the TRUNK of this tree is occult practice: and the ROOT is satanic deception. Close inspection of this tree; will reveal its false teachings as ROTTEN FRUIT. False doctrines, which can only be refuted by the truth! Truth does not originate from me or by my opinion: truth is Gods word, the Bible.

THE HOLY BIBLE is The Word of GOD, and is the truth! In 2 Timothy 3:16, we read, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Psalm 119:160 declares: Thy word is true from the beginning The Lord Jesus Christ, in John 17:17 stated: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

There are only two choices in regard to the scriptures; either accept them, or reject them! In Psalm 119:30 we read: I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgements have I laid before me.

I will be applying scripture to my analysis of the false philosophies expounded, via herbalism. I urge you to evaluate and contrast these teachings by the light of scripture. My hope is that you too, will choose the way of TRUTH! It is paramount to realize that the decision made in regard to comprehension of the existence of falsehood, and the receiving of the truth, is a matter of LIFE and DEATH: on both the physical and spiritual level. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, blessing and cursing: therefore choose LIFE, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19–Capitalization mine) Upon examination of our allegorical TREE, we first exam;

THE BRANCH OF CHINESE MEDICINE

Over 2000 years ago, the Chinese began to apply their philosophy of life and nature to medicine and treatment of diseases; and produced what is now referred to, as traditional Chinese medicine.(12) This is a complex and foreign system, and I will only provide an overview of core medical concepts; but will elaborate on the spiritual-philosophical base.

With reference to the use of herbs, belief is based upon matching The herbs energies—-with that of the person, and the disease and its cause.(10): The criteria, however, is far from the expected! In Chinese medicine, the five elements-metal, water, wood, fire, and earth-correspond to the bodys lungs, kidney, liver, heart, and spleen.(12): Other corresponding components, which have relationship to the five elements, include direction, season, color, climate, and spiritual qualities. The classical five elements represents an integrated view of nature and the human condition, that reflected Confucian ideals.(13)

According to herbalist Lesley Tierra, The energy of an herb has several different aspects, which together, give the herb a unique personality—-these aspects are—-heating or cooling energy, the five tastes, the four directions, and other energies and special properties.(10) Both the herb and the body reflect the heating and cooling aspects. When the body is out of balance, it will be either too hot or cold, and the selected herb causes warmth or coolness in the body(10) to impart a restoration of equilibrium.

Next to balancing the bodily free flow of Qi or Chi (the energy force), the paramount concept stemming from Chinese medicine is Yin and Yang. An article on the Internet is noteworthy for an understanding: The Yin and Yang is the principal dogma that makes up the foundation of all Chinese philosophies and religions. They are natures polar extremes, seemingly capable of annihilating each other. Yet, through these extremes—-nature progresses, harmony is achieved, there is constant change, and Tao results. Indeed, without darkness there is no light; without heat there is no cold; and ultimately, without life there is no death.(14)

According to the principals of Chinese Medicine, A persons body is full of Yin and Yang, and disease results when the balance is disrupted—-the treatment is sometimes herbal medicine.(12) The plants used in treatment have both Yin and Yang qualities in them(10): and through interaction with our energy, restoration of harmony and wellness is accomplished.

Once again, what is evident upon reflection, is that Yin and Yang propagate loss of discernment. It is a philosophical/occult system, in which, opposites alternate, and exhibit coexistence and mutual dependence.

Examine the statement that without darkness there is no light. Light is not the absence of darkness, but rather, the presence of light. To say they are interdependent for existence is to deny the autonomy of one, or both, of the elements.

Co-dependency may incorrectly ascribe a false relationship between the components as well. In essence, neither element has any real meaning or differentiation, since they are in constant flux: light becomes dark and vice versa. Light and dark no longer have any true meaning or identity. They have become one. They have entered equilibrium or harmony, and have become Tao or oneness.

An article appearing in The Sarasota Herald Tribune, dated 11-6-97, reported that, An independent panel of experts concluded Wednesday that the ancient practice of acupuncture was an effective therapy for certain medical conditions. Acupuncture has been slow to gain acceptance by the Western medical establishment, largely because traditional Chinese explanations for its observed effects were based on theoretical concepts of opposing forces called Yin and Yang, which, when out of balance, disrupt the natural flow of Qi (pronounced chee) in the body. Consider this statement: In ancient China, religious prohibitions against dissection resulted in an inadequate knowledge of body structure and function.(15) Apparently, the experts have ignored this disparaging condition in reaching their consensus to approve this theoretical and deficient practice.

Chinese medicine has been practiced for over 2000 years, and many will validate it solely on this basis. Using the same reasoning, we should conclude the earth is FLAT, since this was the historic view!

What is the origin of this mystical Yin and Yang? It can be found in the philosophy of Feng Shui, which is the culmination of Chinas faith in Taoism, one of Chinas oldest religions; of Chinas faith in the science of astronomy; and of Chinas faith in superstitions, in astrology, shamanism, and fortunetelling.

The philosophies and doctrines found in I Ching, has largely influenced the faith of Feng Shui, as the I Chings trigram and hexagrams, made up of the linear Yin and Yang symbols, are widely used in Feng Shui practice. The concepts comprising the I Ching is formulated in the idea that the world is ever changing. What is good today, may be bad tomorrow—-nothing is stationary, everything moves from Yin to Yang and back to Yin again. In incorporating the philosophies of I Ching, Feng Shui itself becomes an ever-evolving faith. Around 600 BC, a Chinese philosopher by the name of Lao-tse founded what was to become known as Taoism, which inevitably, found its way into Feng Shui. Taoism originated as a philosophy of nature, it defined mans place within the universe.(14)

From Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia, more information is obtained in regard to Taoism: Whereas, Confucianism urged the individual to conform to the standards of an ideal social system, Taoism maintained that the individual should ignore the dictates of society, and seek only to conform with the underlying pattern of the universe: The Tao (way), which can neither be described in words, nor conceived in thought. Through spontaneous compliance with the impulses of ones own essential nature, and by emptying oneself of all doctrines and knowledge; one achieves unity with The Tao, and derives from it, mystical power.(15) The two elemental dogmas ascribed to Taoism are the Yin and Yang, and the natural energy forces of Chi, both of which evolved from the earlier writings of I Ching.(14)

In World Mythology, we read of the Yin or Shang dynasty: The Yin sacrificed to many divinities including the sun, moon, clouds, earth, mountains, rivers, and the four cardinal directions. Taoism believed humanity should live in harmony with nature, and not seek to dominate it: the Yin and Yang should be in equilibrium. Yin and Yang came to be regarded as two cosmic forces, which interacted to produce phenomena of the universe. They were seen as complimentary, and mutually dependent.(16)

It is quite evident, how Chinese medical practices align with philosophical views, and herbalism evolved from this nature centered religion.

The teaching of I Ching states that what is good today, may be bad tomorrow, which coveys, that there is no absolute truth: truth is relative. If there is no truth, it follows that there is no law, and therefore, no sin! But, the scriptures say Thy law is the truth in Psalms 119:142. The scriptures state that by the law is the knowledge of sin in Romans 3:20.

I Ching says that, if there is no truth; then God is not our Saviour. But, the scriptures say I, even I, am the Lord; and besides me there is no saviour. ( Isaiah 43:11)

The concept of Yin and Yang, represents Yin as darkness, and Yang as light; since everything moves from Yin to Yang, and back to Yin, what is conveyed, is that dark becomes light and light becomes dark. By logical extension, God would be darkness and light alternately. 1 John 1:5 refutes this vain philosophy: God is light, and in him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL.(Capitalization mine) Hebrews 13:8 declares: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.

The Chinese Tao, or the way, which can not be described in words, or known, contrasts sharply with the Lord Jesus Christ who says very clearly, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) And where He speaks again: And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3). The Lord Jesus is eternal life and imparts his life to the believer.

At its core, I Ching and Taoism are earth centered religions propagating the oneness of the creature and the universe / creation. Yin and Yang is another expression of the energy concept or life force, which comprises the world around us, and us as well. We are connected to, and part of, the external creation by this Life Force. We have not found our place in the universe, but rather, have lost our distinction from the world and the universe. Further, Yin and Yang has destroyed the separation and autonomy of opposites.

This system can only result in death: on the physical level, its medical concepts are flawed due to a reliance on false beliefs: as touching the spiritual, the only herb offered is HEMLOCK!

Upon returning to our allegorical tree, let us examine;

THE BRANCH OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is the worlds oldest healing system. The word itself is Sanskrit for Science of Life. Ayurveda predates, and actually influenced all healing systems, including ancient Greek, Chinese, and Western medicine. It has been practiced as Indias traditional medical system for more than 5000 years. In 16th century Europe, Paracelsus-who is known as the father of Western medicine- practiced and propagated a system of medicine that borrowed heavily from Ayurveda.(17)

The practices of Ayruveda are described as completely holistic.

According to Dr. Nitin Patel, a health educator with a medical degree from India in alternative medicine, In Ayurveda, the living body is a mini-universe governed by the same forces that govern the external world-the five components of ether, air, fire, water, and earth. As life enters our material body, three vital catalysts called Doshas-Vata(air and ether), Pitta(fire), and Kapha(water and earth)-work in harmony to maintain health. Basically, they govern all physiological and psychological aspects of the body. Each human is a unique combination of these Doshas, and disease is an imbalance in any of the Doshas.

Ayruveda, as a system, is based on the belief that the body has the ability to heal itself, when the whole person is properly cared for. Unlike Western medicine, the Ayurvedic materna medica combines herbs and minerals with diet, physical exercise, and practices such as Yoga and meditation.(17)

In this system, herbs are only the medicinal agents employed in the holistic therapies. Ayruveda conveys a sweeping philosophy that is more than medical, it encompasses the whole of life, which relates the life of the individual to that of the universe. As such, it is open to and includes, all life, and all methods that bring us into greater harmony with life.(18)

Plants represent more than materialistic nourishment and medicine, but transmit spiritual or occult forces: plants bring us love, the nourishing power of the sun—-they bring to us the universal light, so that, we can enter the universal life.(18)

These sunny little friends of ours, are now going to lead us into the philosophical source of Hinduism!

The Ayruvedic medical system evolved out of the Vedas, the Hindu books of knowledge, that were divinely revealed to the sages of India. The 4 Vedas consist of Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. Ayurveda is part of this fourth Veda, which includes, dissertations upon the treatment of the sick using mantra, herb, and potions.(19)

Upon entering into this medical paradigm, exposure to Hinduism is inevitable. Hinduism is a complex, interwoven system of varying traditions and paths. I will only concentrate on predominate, core philosophies, and will shed the Light of scripture on them.

Hinduisms representation of God as Brahman varies within two traditions. One tradition views Brahman as a theistic, personal God; and the other, as an impersonal, pure awareness, consciousness, and seen as undifferentiated reality(20).

God is not an impersonal force, but a person: But I trusted in THEE, OLORD: I said THOU art my God. (Psalms 31:14).

Hinduism offers a complex cosmology, where the universe is a great cosmic egg. Time is both degenerative, going from Krita Yuga (a golden age), to Kali Yuga (a present age), and is cyclic. Human life is viewed as being cyclic as well.

In Hinduism, Dharma is the absolute cosmic law, which governs all processes in the universe including the life of the individual (21), and is the basis of morality.

Karma is the law of causality(21), whereby, any action or deed results in further actions, deeds, or activities. Included in Karma, is any omission to act or thought.

Evolving from the cyclic view of human life, is the wheel of life. After death, the soul leaves the body, and is reborn in the body of another person, animal, vegetable or mineral. This process of endless entanglement in activity and rebirth is called Samara. The precise quality of the new birth is determined by the accumulated merit and demerit that result from all actions, or Karma. (15) A single life would be impossible for resolution.

The Bible nowhere teaches a Samara like equivalent, but rather, a spiritual rebirth by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus said, Ye must be born again (John 3:7), this was referring to a birth from above. This spiritual rebirth is the requirement, not endless physical rebirth.

The desire of the Hindu is to be released from this endless cycle, and is referred to as Moksha. By Moksha, the Hindu understands the final liberation and redemption from all worldly ties, from Karma, and the cycles of birth and death; union with the ultimate reality. Thus, the attainment of Moksha is the sole purpose of the spiritual quest.(21)

Hinduism purports that, All manifestations within the universe, accessible to our senses and our thinking, are relative; in absolute terms, they are untrue.(21) If there is no reality, and no truth, then therefore, there is no sin. But the Bible says in 1 John 1:8, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Hinduism does not recognize sin as being anything but a violation of Dharma, resulting in Karma, but in Psalms 51:4 we read, Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil, in thy sight.”

The goal of Moksha is obtaining release from Samsara, not salvation from an everlasting punishment and torment in Hell. Hinduisms belief of hell, called Naraka, is a distressed area of consciousness-a state of mind-and not viewed as being permanent. Hell is eternal separation from the presence of the Lord. God wants no one punished in hell. He has extended compassion and pity on us, in order to save us. He demonstrated His love for us by graciously taking our place on the cross, so that God might justly pour out his wrath upon our sin, but extend forgiveness and eternal life to us. Do not despise His love and mercy to you, but rather, embrace Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. We should fear Hell, and fear the Lord Jesus, the Judge of all, who warned us: But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:5)

Hinduism does not hold to just one path to liberation. Most Hindus follow a path of one of three religious actions. Karma Marga-consisting of selfless deeds and puja (worship of temple, icon, person, or a god-by pouring or throwing flowers, rice, oil, water or milk, or offering incense). Bhatki Marga-consisting of loving, passionate devotion to a god of choice, expressed by chanting, singing, and prayer. Jnana Marga- a path of knowledge, including meditation and Yoga.

Hinduism is a religion of works, where, grace has no place: Karma can be shaped by an individual, but it can not be changed from outside.(21) The Bible teaches that reconciliation to God, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life in Heaven, is a FREE GIFT. Salvation is by Gods GRACE through faith in Jesus Christ alone. For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), that need to be discarded, and exchanged for the robe of the righteousness of Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus is our righteousness; His righteousness is imputed to the believing sinner. We are saved by His blood, by His righteousness, and by His life. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7) Our sin debt was paid at the cross, and the justice of God satisfied, through the Grace of our Great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

According to Bhatki-yoga, God responds to our love. Love, action, and knowledge are the paths. When all else falls off, only the object of love remains, the lord, Krishna, the self-god.(21). While this sounds good, the lord is not the object of love; the outcome is actually self-love. We do not love God first, for Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10) Jesus appeased and satisfied Gods justice and righteousness by the atoning sacrifice of his death and shed blood, so that God might be just; and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) The Lord Jesus provides definition in regard to loving God: If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15).

All the elements of the Hindu sacrificial systems, are in actuality, the disguised sacrifice of oneself(20). God does not accept the sacrifice of ourselves, but only of the Lord Jesus: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.(1 Timothy 2:5) Who hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God.. ( Ephesians 5:2)

Hinduism teaches that there are many gods (Avatars), that are manifestations representing the aspects of Brahman, and also allows preference in selecting which god to worship, as necessary to a personal way of redemption to Moksha, to Nirvana. The Bible declares, For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14) And in Acts 4:12, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

In Hinduism, a Guru acts as a spiritual guide to instruct the devotee to the way of Moksha, or Nirvana. He is viewed as an incarnation of god-for ideally, a guru is one who has identified completely with his own intermost reality, and that reality is, in all that lives, divinity itself.(20).

According to Hinduism, the problem faced by all human beings is one of unenlightenment(22), not sin. Man must be brought to an enlightened state, where the soul of man (Atman) comes to an awareness, of which, the inner self realizes That Thou Art-Brahman, the ultimate reality of every man and every living thing are identical(20). In short, we must ascertain that each of us IS GOD. It then follows that if we are gods, we have no need of salvation.

Ayruveda perpetuates the view of energy and its balance within the universe, and in us.

Hinduism, at its core, is another earth-centered religion. The cyclic pattern in nature is applied to mankind. Just as the seasons are cyclic, so man must endure countless deaths and rebirths. It promises a golden age of mankind, an ultimate perfection, rather than utter depravity. Distinction between mankind and the creation is taken one step farther in a spiral of deprivation through self-deification. What has been lost, is the crucial distinction between man and God.

Hinduism is a satanic deception that will keep mankind from the truth, that our God and Saviour is the one Who will have all men to saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4).

The herbs offered by Ayruvedic medicine are cultivated in darkness and harvested with deceit.

The next allegorical tree branch is;

THE NATIVE AMERICAN BRANCH

In our society, the interest in Native Americanism is a growing phenomenon. Random glances at adjacent automobiles reveal a dangling array of rearview mirror dream catchers.

Natural forces shaped the lives and imaginations of Native Americans. In this primitive society, herbs were incorporated in healing. Their spiritual concepts shaped their views of disease in the same manner as the Indian, and Chinese. North American Indians believe that the spirit of the herbs is directly involved in a battle with an illness when herbal healing takes place.(7)

Extensive immersion into Native Americanism will distort the true God, and Gods truth. Native Americans viewed God as a Great Spirit, who initiated the conception of the universe. This Great Spirit was passive and vaguely defined. More definitive figures developed, like Mother Earth and Father Sky or Sun or Moon, who are charged with further acts of creation, while the supreme god withdraws to heaven.(16)

In Ephesians 3:9, we read it is God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. And in Colossians 1:16, we read as pertaining to Jesus, that by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.

The Native American belief was that elemental gods (sun, earth, summer, winter, rain, lightening and the four winds), to whom powers were delegated by the Great Spirit, controlled the forces of nature. In Luke 8:25, the Lord Jesus exerts control over nature and the earth: for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

The American Indians were more concerned with this present world, and viewed the afterlife much like this world; but the happy hunting ground contained more game. From 2 Peter 3:13, we have assurance and hope: nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all things new. (Revelation 21:4,5)

How much better, and comforting, is the truth of God.

The Native American beliefs all stem from nature, and its interaction with mankind. It is yet another earth religion, which fosters the loss of discernment between man and creation; and between God and His creation. The Lord Jesus Christ is both Creator and Redeemer.

Our next branch on this unfruitful tree is one of;

EARTH RELIGIONS AND WICCA

Upon examination of the belief systems of the Chinese, Indian, and Native American, a mutual earth centered religion is evident. A religion that shaped mans view of God, his relationship with God, and the relationships between mankind: a belief system, which, constructed medical views of illness, and utilized herbs in concordance with religious belief.

Earth centered-nature religion still permeates herbalism today by various expressions. In Planetary Herbalism, this view is expounded: Herbalism is a RELIGION of NATURE, representing a balance of head and heart; that relies more on artful intuition than precise scientific reasoning.(23) (Capitalization mine)

Nature religions ascribed a divine expression to the forces of nature, and to the earth itself, and advanced a philosophy of divine inter connection with all of its inhabitants.

In working with nature, the Chinese were simply respecting and paying homage to the unworldly forces they had observed. Nature was perceived as the domain of the gods and of spirits.

The Ayruvedic philosophy of Hinduism recognizes a state, in which, spiritual beings on earth, and in the rest of creation, become aware of the oneness of creation.

Herbalism remains a vehicle to express the oneness of creation, and foster the divinity of nature and the earth.

In The Elements of Herbalism, the promotion of oneness is found: The more we turn our attention toward the nature of our relationship with the environment, the more profound become the insights into the close embrace we share—-of the many ways, in which, our ecological inter-relatedness shows itself. The art and science of herbal medicine is, for many people, the most unexpected—-we are ALL ONE.(1) (Capitalization mine)

Further stated is the Gaia concept of our earth as, The Greek goddess of the earth-a living entity with the equivalent of senses, intelligence, memory and the capacity to act-she is the earth spirit-she is ecology(1).

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Ayruveda demonstrates the Hindu concept of oneness: Today for instance, people everywhere, are beginning to understand concepts like Gaia, the ONENESS of the organism of earth. This happens by Pitta, the force of the intellect, or Vishnu the preserver (a Hindu god), who keeps balance on earth between the spiritual and demonic.(19) (Capitalization mine) As a side note, any individual who believes Gods word, and has the faith of Jesus Christ, would be labeled demonic.

Herbalism is incorporated into this Gaian philosophy in The Elements of Herbalism, where; Healing is a Gaian quality, as it is a personal expression of balance and wholeness. The relationship between healing plants and people, can be seen as Gaia in action—-the context of ecological embrace.(1) This concept degenerates into what follows, where, herbal healing is an expression of very real and practical links with Gaia, there is an activation of ecological cycles for healing, so facilitating the work of Christ. A unique opportunity is created by the simple act of taking herbal medicines—-such healing, goes beyond the treatment of pathologies and alleviation of bodily suffering-rather, it is in the realm of the transcendental, the ineffable transformation that comes through the touch of God. It has little to do with specific herbs or health care programmes. It results from a bridging of the separation of both nature and soul that plagues humanity.(1)

This view does not separate God from nature, or the creation from the creature. The earth is not God, but rather, Psalms 24:1 declares, The earth is the LORDS, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

What plagues humanity is not separation from nature, but from God, as a result of our sinful rebellion. Isaiah 59:2 states our plague: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Our need is not an herb, but the blood of Christ. We need forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation to God. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (2 Corinthians 5:19). And We pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).

According to Wicca-a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Wicca is a religion, centering around reverence for nature, as seen in the Goddess and the God. The Goddess is nature, the Universal Mother. The God is the consort of the Goddess.(24)

The Roots of Healing-A Womans Book of Herbs, conveys: We understand that the primary LIFE FORCE of earth is contained within plants. We trust in earths healing abilities, and therefore, have continued to call upon herbs for nutritional, medicinal, and spiritual help. Our reverence for the mysteries of birth, life, death, and renewal, guides us to live in harmony with nature, closely following her rhythms. We are connected to changing seasons, the weather, and the cycles of the moon—-We are known in our communities as herbalists, midwives, witches, nurses, and wise women—-We have continued to practice our healing arts despite centuries of persecution by religious organizations, governments, and medical establishments—-Over time, I realized that a presence of unconditional love was emanating from earth herself through herbs. This presence, I came to realize, is divine female wisdom, the great Goddess.(25) (Capitalization mine)

Consider the view expressed that, herbs are gifts that teach and heal. Through them, we can learn to hear the whisperings of earth herself. Listen for their songs. Let yourself remember the wise woman, who lives within you.(25)

In Wicca Craft, we discern that, Wicca (an alternative name for modern witchcraft) is a positive, shamanistic, nature religion, with two main deities honored and worshipped in Wiccan rites: the Goddess (the female aspect and a deity related to the ancient Mother Goddess in her triple aspects of maiden, mother and crone) and her consort, the Horned God (the male aspect). Wicca (which is also known as the craft of the wise or often just the craft) is considered, by many, to be both a monistic and pantheistic religion. In simple terms, it is a positive nature based religion, preaching brotherly love, and harmony with, and respect for, all life forms. It is very similar to Native American spirituality.(26)

According to Scott Cunningham, a well published author, Earth is a manifestation of divine energy, and reveals her secrets to Wiccans, who listen to the earth. To be outdoors, is to be in the temple and surrounded by sanctity.(24)

The Holy Bible portrays no goddess in its word, but rather, of your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 6:1). The Holy bible depicts no great goddess and her god consort, but rather, Jesus commands: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is the creator of the earth: worship Him!

Tell these deceived herbalists, that their herbs have nothing worth listening to; all I hear is a death rattle!

Leaving the branches of this rotten tree, we descend to its trunk; a trunk containing the satanic sap of its roots;

A TRUNK OF THE OCCULT AND MAGIC

The motive of these particular herbalists is exposure and indoctrination to these varied, but homogeneous, belief systems. The desired outcome is the discarding of Biblical Christian thinking, and the substitution of an occult worldview. It is an aspiration to fashion thinking in the physical and spiritual realms, to advance the practice of occult and magical employment.

Today, what is referred to as New Age religion has infiltrated our government, corporate boardrooms, classrooms, environmentalism, feminist movements, political and civil movements, churches, entertainment, and every fabric of our society.

The New Age religion is a Gnostic- pagan-occult revival. Whether it is Hinduism, Taoism, Wiccan, or New Age, all extend toleration and acceptance of all belief systems. Tolerance is a guise for compromise, in order to bring oneness to all religions, and thereby, remove distinction. All express disdain for a dogmatic, structured, and cohesive standard of truth and practice, and indeed, reject the authority of Gods word.

The most touted New Age expression is we are all Gods children. It is true, in that, we are the offspring of God, but the bible says, we are by nature the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), and are only the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26).

New Age religion is unstructured and varied, it is an amalgam of all belief systems, which endorses, promotes, and teaches, Whatever works for you, and embraces occult ritual and practice.

Just as the coming Antichrist or Beast elevates himself, as being God, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and unites all false religious systems and occult practices; so does this New Age apostasy. It promises a golden age of humanity, and elevates mankind to divinity, as does false religiosity, and denies the coming wrath of God. The scriptures declare: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

The occult lies beneath the surface of Chinese, Indian, and Native American belief systems. In Hinduism, goddess worship existed in the Shakta sect, and among the Tantrists. The Tantrists esoteric ceremonies involved a black mass, in which, such forbidden substances, such as meat, fish, and wine were eaten, and forbidden sexual acts were performed ritually.(15) In ancient China, people sought to contact spirits by reading cracks on scorched oracle bones and other shaministic practices, such as, chanting, dancing, and ecstatic trances.(16) In the Native American culture, Shamans pursued Direct contact with the world of gods and spirits, through a vision quest of fasting and prayer. This vision of a guardian spirit was manifested in the form of an animal, or bird, or even as one of the elements of nature. These manifestations acted as intermediaries between the human and spirit world.(16) The Shamans intent was obtainment of power and sacred knowledge from these guardian spirits. The Shamans, as a source of spiritual power, looked upon animals.

The foundation of these systems is anti-biblical, anti-Christ, and occult. Herbalism is the vehicle to propel our minds toward acceptance of a new worldview, and its attendant philosophies, as reflected by the statements of these new champions of the occult.

Is there a philosophy to be found in herbalism? ABSOLUTELY!! To understand herbalism, in all its aspects, becomes a journey of discovery that leads to a philosophy of awareness, which in turn, is all embracing spirituality: rediscovering a profound relationship that bonds plants and humanity, and offers us a way to invite Gaia into a creative, healing aspect, that may, in the end, be our salvation.(27) According to this philosophy, we must change our worldview to accommodate an embracing of all spirituality. We must discard the Bible as our sole authority and truth. We are being urged to embrace a pantheistic earth religion, in bonding us to plants, and the earth god or goddess. A religion, which supplants, The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood (Romans 3:22-25). Instead of repentance, faith, salvation, and obedience to God, we have false religion, and a pagan worldview.

According to author David Hoffman, The intimate embrace of our world is a healing force, moving humanity towards a transformation of our relationship with the earth, ourselves, and each other.(1) In reality, they are supplanting Jesus Christ. The outcome of this vision, extended through harmony with the earth and nature, is eradication of disease and curtailment of death. It is as if, they want to re-establish the Garden of Eden. They reject the word of God, which establishes that death is a result of sin. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has abolished death by removing the penalty and power of sin. Only the Lord Jesus can transform mankind, renew relationships, and usher in a new heaven and earth. Only He can establish the Kingdom of God.

In The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal, David Hoffman further states: It seems clear, that many health issues are connected with cultural and ecological problems, and often reflect our alienation from nature and natural lifestyles. Herbalism can play a major role in bridging this separation. Herbalism is close to the heart of the greener vision, that is slowly, but surely, changing our cultural worldview.(9)

Their desire to affect change in worldview is clearly reflected. The healing force is the life force, which flows in everything, and everyone, in the universe. The holistic health concept of restoration of balance is now emerging in application to cultural imbalance. We are being conformed to approve restoring balance and healing by restoring harmony with the earth, and thereby, being urged to embrace its pervasive, pagan god-energy-life force. In The Yoga of Herbs, the need for cultural realignment is expressed: Just as physical ailments usually follow emotional imbalances, so we find spiritual use of herbs in the Indian tradition of particular importance in our own unbalanced society.(18)

More can be gleaned of this Cultural Revolution from Josie Ravenwings book: In recent years, a quiet revolution has slowly, and inexorably, cracked the traditional Western worldview. It is a spiritual revolution. Its nature, partly masked by more neutral concepts of energy or power.(28) This is particularly revealing, as her statements not only reflect a disdain and rejection of a biblical Christian worldview, but also, the deceit employed in the underlying exposure to herbal usage, and the energy concepts found in holistic health.

What is being conveyed, is that, a culture holding to the True and Living God of scripture is unbalanced, and in need of restoration. Biblical Christian thinking blocks this flow, and is therefore equated with disease. In order to restore balance, we must be in harmony with the universal life force. We must embrace oneness, and forsake our distinctions once again. The traditional worldview in need of cracking is, in actuality, a Biblical centered culture. The Western worldview is a Biblical one.

Their desire is to eradicate Biblical thinking, and remove the scriptures and God from society. Thinking must be altered, for the bible states in Proverbs 23:7, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Objective and authoritative Biblical thinking must be discarded, to perpetrate sinful actions. A pagan view of God and mankind, as consisting of energy, must be firmly established to perpetuate further occult practice. The energy concepts in Chinese, Native American, and Indian healing traditions, have a broader significance and application than merely the physical, they have spiritual import.

In Medicine of the Earth we read, Everything is connected. The earth vibrates in rhythm with the cosmos, and in the smallest thing on earth, we recognize the highest in heaven, and we are part of this cosmic web.(29) Our thinking is to be realigned to recognize that the life force is God; the life force is in everything; everything is connected; this life force is in us; and therefore, WE ARE GOD! Part of what we all must learn, is that there is a divine spark within us.(30) The culmination of this worldview is to shed biblical centered thought and knowledge, and to enlighten us in regard to our own divinity.

If we accept, that within us, resides unrealized divinity, then we as gods, can appropriate our ability to manipulate our environment. We have the capacity to access the universal energy, and align it with our own, and direct it outward to achieve our desires. We are now on our way to practicing occult magic! We are now prepared to engage in sorcery and witchcraft!

Healing is only one of the desired outcomes in magical practice, and is the gateway to initiate the embracing of all-magical intent and practice.

The true occult nature being promoted is veiled, not only with the cloak of healing, but of scripture: In the New Testament, Jesus says, when two or more come together in my name, there so am I. The Bible does not specify that they be two or more people, and indeed—-it surely encompasses herbs. In the Christian tradition, healing is deeply aligned with the Christ, and in fact, is an expression of the presence of Christ.(1) This is a total distortion of scripture in order to reflect that, residing in the herb is the presence of God, as well as in us, and manipulation of these energies will result in healing. Medicine in the tradition of European herbology, First Nations medicine, East Indian medicine, and Chinese medicine, is seen as conscious manipulation of energy for healing the human body.(7)

The indoctrination and acceptance of the interplay of the god-life force in plants, and in us, will advance quite readily into practicing herbal magic. Consider this definition, Herbal magic is a co-operation between plant and man, between earth and heaven, between microcosm and macrocosm, a union of energies forged to produce change by methods which outsiders view as being super-natural.(31) This statement is derived, NOT from books on herbalism, but Magical Herbalism, by Scott Cunningham; the underlying concepts are indistinguishable and in complete alignment with herbalism!

Magic is defined as, the art of causing change by means commonly supposed to be supernatural. The use of powers not yet recognized by science. The use of powers that reside within us, and the natural objects of our world, to cause change. Magical herbalism is the use of herbs for magic. Magic is a natural science, with principles and laws. Magical herbalism is working with the power of herbs, and our own personal energies.(31) These are the SAME concepts expressed by herbalists. Energy is the basis for herb effectiveness. The herb has energy, and we have energy. The herb energy works with our energy, to produce healing. These same principles are now applied, not in regard to healing, but to magic. Energy concepts from herbalism have been the primer for MAGIC.

The culmination of ideologies found in herbalism including energy, balance, life force, harmony with nature and the earth, the earth-nature centered religions, and the oneness of the universe come to fruition in the form of pagan occult magical practice. We are about to descend into our New World. Via our herbalists, we have already been introduced to the life force concept.

From the Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, it can be noted, the basis of herb magic-and all magic- is the power-which generated, and maintains, the universe-it is the LIFE FORCE.(32) (Capitalization mine) This life force , so innocently conveyed by herbalists, is now expounded by WITCHES !

Indoctrination within herbalism has provided the understanding of energy concepts for advancement into occult practice utilizing this power or life force: The power is neutral. In magic we become one with, and utilize the power, which has been fashioned into a multitude of deities. When magic is used for positive results, our lives become richer and happier.(32) Once again, we lose our discernment, and become ONE with MAGIC!

Herbal magic, or witchcraft, revolves around utilizing this power. Wicca views the practice of magic as; the practice of moving natural energies to effect needed change. In Wicca, magic is used to improve ourselves, and the world in which we live. Magic is natural- a harmonious movement of energies to create needed change. Wicca is a joyous union with nature.(24) Joy and happiness is found in the Lord Jesus. It is found through the obedience of faith. We are only happy when free; freedom is found only by obeying Gods word. They are proclaiming bondage, not liberty. Satan has us in bondage, and only The Lord Jesus Christ can free us! Jesus came to deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:15); and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2:26). If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36) Occult magical practice, promises a natural and harmonious way to effect a return to nature. It also revives the lie of the devil in the Garden of Eden, where he told Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:5, and ye shall be as gods.

The healing aspect of herbs is used to introduce the seeker to magical herbalism and witchcraft, and to indoctrinate and facilitate ritual occult practice. Illustrative of this, is an Herbal Encyclopedia on the Internet dedicated as a site with the Pagan/Wiccan/Native needs in mind-the healing listed in this encyclopedia have a myriad of uses for BOTH medicinal and magical purposes.

Author Scott Cunningham, states that herb magic entails the use of herbs to cause needed changes(32).

Take St Johns Wort, as an example, of how the employment of herbs to restore health can be advanced into broader occult practice. The medical application of St Johns Wort is to cure melancholy or depression. This application is not listed in a health book on herbalism as expected, but rather, in The Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs! In this same reference, the herb is recommended to ward off fever and colds. The criteria are strictly medical ailments, but these uses are not referred to as medical uses, but rather, MAGICAL USES! By definition, magic can be employed appropriately, as health is the needed change. A further magical use for St Johns Wort is to attract love. Sufficiently indoctrinated and desensitized to accept the practice of magic as natural, the next step, is utilization of the herb for this needed change as well.

The teachings from herbal resources diminish resistance to perform ritualistic, magical practices. In Hygieia: A Womans Herbal, indoctrination to ritual practice in preparing a herbal tea is expounded: our suggested ritual for herb preparation is—-boil water—-bring the tea pot to the prepared water, never the water to the teapot. This may seem innocent, but we read further, where, each new mystifying ritual may bring later understanding, and benefit on other levels—-a prayer for the life giving qualities of the plants may be evoked—-realize the specific purposes that are being served by this activity—-so this is what you continually bring your mind—-let the plant be your guide(33).

The overall intent is to expand occult practice, in order to encompass the use of herbal magic in a variety of expressions; in divination (seeing the future); protection (amulets and charms); arouse passion; attract love; aid fertility; help love endure; for success; health; personal happiness; and psychic development—-as a part of a way of living that brings you closer to root-sources of life, and nature. The entire basis of magic is to exercise influence over ones environment(31).

Herbal magic is presented only as positive and beneficial, where there is No poisoning, cursing, controlling, compelling, or binding—-all that is required to successfully practice magical herbalism, is an earnest desire to better your life and the lives of those you know and love(31).

In a popular National bookstore, I came across a book titled, The Modern Witches Book of Herbal Remedies, by Sarah Lyddon Morrison, which detailed cures for common ailments and uses of herbs. What was surprising, to me at least, was the location of this book. The book was not relegated to the New Age Occult section of the store, but the Health section. This begs the question-Is cultural resistance and sensitivity to the occult vanishing? Is our image of witches, and of witchcraft, softening?

The energy concepts shared by Chinese, Indian, and Native American belief systems can be elevated in the concept of Chakras. This understanding can then be parlayed into furtherance of occult practice. In Wicca, by Vivian Crowley, this becomes evident where, Wicca has, adopted the Eastern technique of opening the Chakras(34). According to The Elements of Hinduism: The Tantric tradition denotes centers of psychic and spiritual energy within man(20) as Chakras.

Overlapping and incorporation of these beliefs is evident where; To borrow from the East is not a new development in Wicca.(34) And in Native American animism where, The system which I was taught, of classifying spirit animals, and their major roles in a persons life, is based on the Chakras; the centers which balance, store, and distribute, the life energies throughout the body.(35).

The purpose of incorporating Chakras is evident by noting: Wicca owes much to the ancient mystery schools of the Mediterranean and Near East. The idea of energy centers in the body is not an exclusively eastern concept. Witches have always worked with these energy centers, or Chakras, but in the East, the terminology and mapping of energy systems are most developed. We readily use the Chakra system to help people understand, and gain control over the energies that is necessary in Wicca(34); and for Wiccan invocations, rituals, and chants.

Magic is employed, to fulfill a need. Just manipulate the herbs to give their powers direction. It is that simple. Herb magic is easy, because the powers (vibrations) lie in the herbs themselves. A few simple procedures are all that is necessary. These rites include tying knots, boiling water, lighting candles, sewing, and burying things in the earth.(32).

How magic works is elucidated: First, there must be a reason to call upon magical powers. The reason is need. Next, a spell or ritual may need to be devised. Third, the herbs can be enchanted to ensure their vibrations are attuned to the need. Fourth, the spell is worked in complete confidence and secrecy. Fifth, once the spell has been worked, it should be forgotten.(32).

Magical Herbalism explains that: Magic is intent. Witches are taught that the most important factor in magic making is intent. You must firmly visualize in your minds eye the thing you wish to have happen. See it, as if it has already taken place, or has been brought into manifestation. This adds to the power of your magic.(31)

In herbal magic, the magician is working with the power of the herb, and his or her own personal energy. The addition of ones own power acts as a booster, to strengthen and focus the intent. Intent can be reinforced by the act of enchanting, which means simply, singing to. When cutting herbs, sewing up sachets, or making other herbal magics, a short rune or poem is often repeated in a singsong or monotone manner. In these poems, the intent is vividly described, and this helps reinforce the image in the mind, as well as to channel the energies of the herbs themselves. The real effect of this lies not in the words spoken, but in the intent.(31).

An article appeared in Pharmacy Times (8-97), entitled, Jungle Medicine, in which, Constance Grauds R.Ph., described a rain forest Shaman’s (medicine man) treatment for her infected toe. As he soaked her foot in plant baths, “He sang and hummed native plant spirit healing songs as my foot was being washed and soaked in the fresh green aromatic bath. This article not only demonstrates the active proselytizing of my peers to natural medicine, but to occult practice of magic in general, and enchanting in particular.

It is evident, that inherent in herbalism, is the danger of indoctrination and subsequent entanglement and commitment to witchcraft. Herbalism can be a precursor to involvement in astrology as well. Healing Herbs and Health Foods of the Zodiac, by Ada Muir, unites two of earths oldest traditions, herb lore and astrology, in their modern incarnation. Herbal preparations are the oldest medicines in any culture, astrology is our oldest system of understanding and organizing our personal and social world.(36) Astrology is incorporated in the Chinese five elements of healing, by virtue of planet designations in relation to human physiology; and planetary rulers are ascribed to herbs in the book, Magical Herbalism, as well.

Occult healing techniques, whether it involves utilization of herbs, or such practices as acupuncture exhibit a modicum of effectiveness, but what is the true source of this faculty? According to Scott Cunningham, in the Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, the power behind herbal magic is formless, shapeless, eternal, it doesnt care whether you call it in the name of a witch, goddess, or the Virgin Mary-or tap it within no religious framework at all.(32) I submit that this is the root of our allegorical tree! It is according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). It is also, the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Practicing witchcraft, besides being open to demonic influence and possession, will further harden the heart to the deceitfulness of sin. Witchcraft will foster rebellion and the rejection of God. It will inevitably result in destruction and the wrath of God.

The practice of magic is not the final attainment in these occult, pagan systems. The goal is self-realization and the ascent of the individual. Scott Cunningham relays that, The Shamans were the first humans with knowledge through ecstasy-alternate states of consciousness, in which, they communed with the forces of the universe. Conference with spirits and deities, plants and animals, opened up new vistas of learning. Later, Shamans advanced in the use of tools to facilitate these awareness shifts.(24)

Meditation and Yoga are such tools to facilitate these awareness shifts. Even renowned holistic authority, Andrew Weil, in his book, Natural Health and Natural Medicine, promotes these practices. Pick up any popular household magazine, and it will contain, at some point, a recommendation for Yoga and meditation to relieve stress, and improve or restore health. Indeed, Yoga is touted by East Indian practice as a method of achieving spiritual harmony through control of mind and body, to acquire health, and develop inner force to withstand stress.(19)

There is a connection in regard to Chakras and Yoga. In Power Yoga, by Beryl Birch, it can be ascertained that: The Anja or 6th Chakra is the third eye. According to Yoga philosophy, the third eye is the vertical eye of wisdom, and that which takes us out of physical or horizontal reality, and connects us to the vertical plane of divinity.(37)

The purpose of meditation can be far more than relaxation, it is to lift our awareness out of its limited focus in the personality, so it can identify with spirit, and interact with divine qualities.(38) The intent of meditation and Yoga is to increase awareness to divine attributes.

The overlapping, merging, and progression of one practice or concept to another has become more apparent. This progression continues to evolve. The 7th Chakra (called Sabarara) is considered to be the highest in Power Yoga. By meditating on this center, one experiences duality merging into one-ness with universal life-force. There is only oneness.(37) The Elements of Hinduism, by Stephen Cross, speaks of the Kundalini Chakra or Serpent, which blocks the spiritual ascent of man, and when awakened, becomes the vehicle for ascent. He defines Yoga as union, and a discipline leading to identity with the true self(20).

All of these rebels, who set themselves against the Lord Jesus Christ, with their veiled, esoteric rhetoric, are saying that the true self is deity. The self-realization for each person is I AM GOD! This is the basis of Hinduism, and the same lie Satan perpetrated on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Isaiah chapter 14, the Lord addressed Satan: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will be like the Most High. If the Satanic origin of this deception is comprehended, it is no wonder that an appeal would be made to mankind to seek self-ascension, or to be like the Most High God!

This self-deification deception is found in occult and New Age resources. Scott Cunningham teaches this Wiccan falsehood: The Goddess and God are both within ourselves, and manifest in all nature.(24) In Magical Herbalism, he relates that: The body is alive, and all life is an expression of the divine—-magic is the flowering of our human potential—-we increase the flow of divinity in our lives(31) Just as energy must freely flow to prevent disease, and maintain wellness, practicing magic will permit the natural flow of divinity in our lives.

The deception presented here is that, practicing magic is not satanic, but divine. Once again, we have lost distinction. Self-deification is the desired realization. Our potential is to be fully realized by practicing magic, and we are to become who we really are, God.

Our divine nature is presented in The Healers Manual. Instruction is given involving a method of divination (telling the future or obtaining knowledge) utilizing a pendulum, and an aromatic elixir, much in the fashion of an Ouija board. He describes it as, a process of divining-of connecting to our divine nature which knows what we need(30).

The Bible doses not affirm our inner divine nature, but rather, it painfully, but truthfully, reflects our nature and condition: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) Our heart does not know what is right. We need a new spirit, or heart, through faith in Christ, to obey the word of God. What we need is redemption, salvation, forgiveness of our sin, and reconciliation to God by accepting the salvation of God: by believing the gospel and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. The false ideology of the divinity of mankind only serves to elevate man, and to diminish the True and Living God.

As in Hinduism, these satanic gurus are proselytizing the enlightenment of the individual to awareness that, the true self is God. Research in herbalism revealed an article entitled, From Medicine to Mysticism, by William Eidelman, MD. The culmination of desire and effort is realized: we are waking up to a whole new vision of reality. This awakening could be our next evolutionary step. A new science of humanity is emerging-The Science of Awakening-These newly established scientific paradigms come from the fields of quantum and post-quantum physics, from bio-electromagnetism/bio-physics, and from evolution itself. This scientific approach to the inner world is not simply intellectual. On this journey, in this exploration of consciousness, we are not asked to take on any new beliefs, although some will probably latch on, we may find our old beliefs drop away. We are in a metaphysical sleep, in which, we are dreaming that we are awake. Awakened, we see ourselves as luminous beings, and we simply radiate good vibrations to each other. Our radiance is life-affirmative and creative. The awakening of humans is an essential part of the evolutionary process. At this moment, many people are beginning to awaken. This quantum leap in consciousness is the culmination of three hundred and fifty thousand years of human evolution on the earth. A new humanity is trying to be born(39). God has one response to all this pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo, and it is found in 1 Timothy 6:20: O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called. Amen.

To support the entwining of all these varied, but unified philosophies, consider the similar Hindu belief as stated in some excerpts from The Complete Illustrated Guide to Ayruveda: This dream state of the cosmic being [Brahma], represents the earliest forms of life (viral and bacteria), as well as un-evolved human beings, who are still engrossed with the external world, believing it to be true—-then comes the semi-consciousness state of the cosmic being, in which, spiritual beings on earth, and in the rest of creation, become aware of the oneness of creation(19).(Brahma-my insert)

God warns us in the scriptures that we should be aware of the devices of Satan, and of his ministers. And to beware of this idea of our becoming luminous beings through this awakening: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:14,15) All of these occult ministers are speaking lies, not the truth.

There is a spiritual sleep, in which, we are dead to the life of God. How we are to awaken from this sleep is given to us in Ephesians 5:14: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. But, The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:19) Christ raises the dead, and He gives us life and light.

Evolution must be addressed at this juncture. This so-called science has been advanced to include a dangerous spiritual context and significance. The thinking of the individual is propelled from the evolutionary view of animals and man to embrace evolution on a spiritual plane where man realizes his deity. Evolutionary theory is intellectually bankrupt, and spiritually barren. Acceptance of evolution will foster occult thought.

Evolution broached and facilitated the occult atmosphere of Germany, where, according to author D Sklar: Darwins Origin of Species, published in 1859, had widened the chasm between science and religion. H.P.B. (initials of occultist and organizer of The Theosophical Society-Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky) leaped across that chasm with a spiritual concept of evolution. Men could become divine, she said, by advancing in an evolutionary process, which was part of an elaborate cosmology affecting whole races.(40) Hitler would carry this theme into his Third Reich: The New Man, Hitler told Rauschning, would be a mutation, a different biological species. They would be the true aristocracy.(40) Evolution spawned anti-Semitism in the Germanic culture: Anti-Semitism, then, was the instinctive wisdom of the Aryan race, which, as the fittest, sought to survive.(40) Instead of ushering in Hitler as messiah of a 1000-year millennium of utopian glory, what transpired was one of mankinds darkest travesties: the holocaust.

We did not evolve from fish or apes, nor are we God, but were created in the image of God: By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. (Psalms 33:6) We are not products of evolution, but are created by the Word of God. By taking God at his word, we know that the world did not evolve, but was spoken into existence out of nothing: so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:3).

Michael Tierra, a prolific herbalist author, is very revealing in an article entitled, The Herbal Tradition, wherein he relates: The 20th century herbal renaissance began during the late 60s. A period where there was a dynamic exploration of new lifestyles based on living in harmony with nature. It was also a time, when, there was a lot of active experimentation with hallucinogenic substances. In considering what spurred the renewed interest in herbs, Cannabis Sativa (marijuana) looms large as one of our plant teachers. As with the contemporary use of peyote by members of the Native American Church of North America, many of the positive healing effects of hallucinogenic herbs is based upon prior preparation through prayer and ritual.(41)

Shamanistic rites and rituals utilize hallucinogenic agents to produce an altered state of consciousness, to awaken intuitive awareness to the spirit world for mystical revelation and knowledge. This knowledge is revealed in the scriptures for what it is: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and the doctrines of devils. (1 Timothy 4:1)

At this juncture, we see the culmination of the embracing of all these divergent, pagan, ideologies. These systems are monistic and pantheistic, and as such, regard truth as relative, and foster an all-inclusive spirituality. Discarding the objective, authoritative, and absolute truth of the scriptures will facilitate this embrace.

We have seen from the Chinese, the Yin and Yang, of opposites merging to oneness; from Hinduism self-deification; from Native American belief, shaman mystical knowledge and experience; and from Wicca, occult practice. These systems have, by a progressive evolution, reached a desired endpoint by creating tension through opposing ideals. The tension created by this conflict induces a resolution through assimilation and abandonment of truth. Further progressive lies will spawn more perversion until; the ultimate apostasy is given birth and believed.

Credibility is established through promotion of conscious altering practices such as hallucinogenics, meditation and yoga. These practices induce intuitive mystical revelation, which seduce the practitioner through subjective and experiential verification of apostate false-beliefs. Adoption of the lie is inevitable, as the individual, no longer holding to the external and objective word of God, but rather, to internal and subjective falsehood, is subjected to manipulation and deceit.

The end result is the construction of a belief, in which, we accept that we are God. We are lead to believe that we can create and manipulate our environment through the magical exercise of our powers and energy. The reality is, that loss of separation between nature, energy, mankind, Satan and God will spawn the conclusion that all are one and the same. The inevitable result of this construct is self-worship, which in actuality, is Satan worship!

This is the final apostasy. The outcome of discarding Biblical truth is the darkness of believing a lie. The product of a reprobate mind is to accept delusion as truth and to bring forth fruit of unrighteousness. Instead of believing the truth and glorifying God, mans heart will be darkened and Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22)

Least one might think I am exaggerating by expressing the final condition as Satan worship, consider the scriptures. In scripture Satan is identified as the dragon, and we read that the inhabiters of the earth worshipped the dragon, in Revelation 13:4.

All pagan, occult, earth religions promote self-worship. The final outcome of this perverted self-deification is Satan worship. If we worship ourselves as God, and Satan is God, then by extension, Satan is worshipped.

When prayers and rituals are employed using any herb, worship of devils is conducted. A Taoist, Hindu, or any other infidel would vehemently deny this accusation. A Wiccan would argue that he was certainly not involved in devil worship, but only practicing a loving, natural, earth and nature centered reverence, which would even deny the very existence of a devil. The judgement of God is revealed against these works in Revelation 9:20,21: And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not WORSHIP DEVILS—-neither repented they of their murders, nor of their SORCERIES, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.(Capitalization mine)

God condemns the practice of witchcraft or magic by sorcerers, enchanters, witches, and astrologers to eternal torment in the lake of fire. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15) The same is true of divination, which is practiced in the occult. God commands to neither regard or seek those who have familiar spirits, or consult with these foul spirits and become defiled by them, in Leviticus 20:31 and Deuteronomy 18:11. The scriptures reveal demonic contact is associated with involvement in this practice, and dismissal of Gods warning will be perilous.

In Revelation 9 verse 21, the word sorceries is translated from the Greek word pharmakeia. Pharmakeia conveys medication and magic. From this Greek word we derive our word pharmacy. It would be prudent to consider that using herbs, hallucinogenic or otherwise, especially for healing, within a religious-occult magical framework, might well be defined as sorceries, and fulfill this verse. It is precisely this usage that is being endorsed by a host of occult practitioners. We should be aware and alert to this sweeping potential among us!

The same Greek word pharmakeia appears in Revelation 18, which reveals the destruction of Babylon: for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived(v 23).

In Revelation chapter 17, introduced is a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy(v3). And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.(v 4,5) In verse 18 of the same chapter, this Harlot is revealed as the city of Babylon: And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. And in Revelation 14:8, it can be read: Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. All nations will be part of, and deceived by, this Great Harlot, and will drink of her spiritual fornications of apostasy, idolatry, and occult belief.

In Nahum 3:4,5 an interesting verse appears in regards to a harlot, and witchcraft: Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

For certain, as found in scripture, and as disclosed in the introductory segment of this investigation, the revenues are great for both the herbal industry, and occult practitioners. For the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) I am not being dogmatic in my interpretation of the Biblical passages of Babylon and the Harlot. I am being dogmatic when I say, that you and your family can be made merchandise through involvement with any of these occult beliefs and practices!

I am also dogmatic in witnessing to the fact that neither the Harlot, the coming Anti-Christ, nor any purveyor, or occult practitioner will prevail over our Lord Jesus Christ for; He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS! And That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10,11) The Lord Jesus Christ: who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen(Romans 9:5)

In Luke 6:43, we read, For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. We have seen the fruit of our allegorical tree. We have exposed its satanic roots. LET US TAKE OUR AX, CUT IT DOWN, BURN THE STUMP, AND CAST IT INTO A FIRE!!! Make sure that you are planted in its place, as a good tree, built up, and grounded in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ!

IN CONCLUSION

In summary, herbalism is a self-discovery educational effort, in which, the seeker is reliant upon the teacher, and the resource. Many respectable proponents produce materials and information designed to benefit the individual. Their only goal is a sincere desire to help others. The pitfall in this system is the utilization of herbalism as the means to expose, and entice the unlearned to false philosophies and occult dogma.

The core belief of the ENERGY of the herb must be viewed with grave discernment. This belief is the hinge, which opens the door wide to falsehood. This concept is central to the development of a false view of God, wherein, God is energy, and as energy, God is in everything. It will lead to the false premise that we are gods. This is not the biblical view of God, and must be recognized as such, and rejected. If the individual accepts this concept of energy, it opens a very dangerous realm, wherein, possible progression into occult belief and practice may ensue.

Having established that herbalism has its roots in earth-centered religions, including Taoism and Hinduism; these religions are expounded in great detail to the student in the course of studies. These are false religions and must be rejected. The Bible is the only truth. They present a false view of salvation, and of God. They pervert and deny the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Listen to what the bible says of those who preach another Christ or another gospel But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)

Wicca is one of these earth-centered religions, and within its scope, is found magical herbalism. It also lays its foundational magic practices on energy. This universal Life Force energy resides in nature, and in us. The manipulation of these energies, within nature, herbs, and us, can bring about desired change.

Bodily healing is only one aspect in the realm of magical practices, but can be used as the primer to expose the herbal student to the practice of wicca, and magic in general.

Even if the practice of magical rituals were limited to healing, involving the use of herbs, this could fit the definition of sorceries (pharmakeia) as found in the bible. If we take an herb, and perform any ritual, such as enchanting, to enhance its action, it is magic. No matter that we intellectually regard these as harmless, scientifically based, practices. If ritual magic techniques are utilized, we are practicing magic. If we find these rituals cloaked in traditional garments of acceptability, promoted in medical journals, or the health section of a bookstore, or library, it makes no difference, it is magic, and against the commandments of God.

Be warned; be wary, these occult foundations are proliferating in society and medicine. Homeopathy shares these basic tenants of energy and rituals. Chinese and Ayurveda medicine are grounded in energy and balance concepts. Yoga and meditation is promoted, not only independently, but also, to charge ingested herbs for maximum effectiveness.

Embracing the philosophy of energy expounded by false religion and spirituality, and witchcraft, will inevitably turn one away from the truth of the Living God and his love, deify man, lead to satanic worship, and result in death. Satan is the father of lies and the destroyer, who would turn and blind minds to the truth of the gospel and the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

In my research, I was puzzled by one thing. In the glossary of Magical Herbalism, I came across: Magic Circle-A ritually created circle that offers protection to a magician during rites. It puzzled me why anyone engaged in a loving practice that leads to a better, happier, and in fact, joyous life, would have need of protection while practicing these rituals. The answer is—protection from demonic attack.

I will not offer many more scriptures to you, if you are not a believer. The Bible was written to you, read it prayerfully, and meditate on the scriptures for yourself!

All of the detailed systems of lies are counterfeits of the reality of Christ. All that they promise is found in Him. Joy, peace and oneness in God-that they also may be one in us (John 17:21).

An even bigger deception than these vain ideologies is to deem God irrelevant or superfluous in your life, that you are exempt, indisposed, or disinclined to commit your life to Christ for salvation and obedience. But God has now commandeth all men every where to repent (Acts 17:30). To do otherwise is disobedience: even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient (1Peter 2:8).

If you are not a believer, admit to being unable to save yourself or do anything to merit salvation. Why dont you right now, repent of your sins by renouncing and confessing them. By an act of your will, obey and believe the gospel that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Believe that Christ is the one who paid for your sins when He died and rose again for you. Faith is believing God, His word, and being confident of his promise; And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25) Place your faith in Christ Jesus alone for salvation. Believe that only His blood can wash you from your sin, and that He alone can forgive you and give you the free gift of eternal life. Come to Jesus, and trust and receive Him alone as your personal Lord and Saviour. God promises to save you according to His word: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

There is no need for a circle of protection with Him, for God is Love (1 John 4:8).

Beware, and be able to discern false spirituality, and to recognize these life force energy concepts, which abound within many circles and ideologies in various contexts.

Be careful in embracing holistic medicine carte blanche. Beware embracing cultural medical practices, which reflect, and expound false religious beliefs. The embracing of the medical precepts, predicated on spiritual counterfeits, may compromise the ability to reject the underlying falsehood.

To fellow believers, I offer this scripture: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:6-8). Contend for the faith. Do not be deceived.

If you have become involved in any of these practices, repent and follow the example found in Acts 19:18,19, where we read, And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men.

As believers, we should also pray that God would open the eyes of these deceived teachers and those who have been deceived, to the truth of God and to Jesus.

We are to rebuke these lies with the truth, which is in Christ, and go about casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Renounce these gods of false belief, and warn anyone to read what God says of them, and of those who choose them: Behold ye are of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination is he that chooseth you. (Isaiah 41:24)

THERE IS ONLY ONE HOLISTIC PRACTITIONER THAT I AM AWARE OF, AND I FIND HIM IN ACTS 9:34: JESUS CHRIST MAKETH THEE WHOLE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1) The Elements of Herbalism by David Hoffman 1990 Barnes and Noble Books 1997

(2) www.holisticmed.com

(3) Alternative Pharmacy by Karen Snyder in Drug Topics 7-7-97

(4) Herbal Remedies in the Pharmacy by Wendell l. Combest, Ph.D. George Nemecz, Ph.D. in US Pharmacist 7-97

(5) Herbal Medicine www.earthlink.net/~clanbear/herbs

(6) Encyclopedia of Natural Remedies by Louise Tenney, M.H. 1990 Woodland Publishing Inc. P.O. Box 160 Pleasant Grove, Utah

(7) Herbs Their Clinical Uses by Terry Willard, P.h.D. 1996 Wild Rose College of Natural Healing Ltd. Calgary, Alberta, Canada

(8) Herbal Article-All About Herbs www.viable-herbal.com/herbsol

(9) The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman 1996 Element Books Ltd. P.O. Box 830 Rockport, Ma.

(10) The Herbs of Life and Healing Using Western and Chinese Techniques by Lesley Tierra L.AC. Herbalist 1992 The Crossing Press Freedom, Calif.

(11) About Snowbound Herbals www.sbherbals.com/aboutus

(12) Traditional Chinese Medicine www.globalearn

(13) Psychospiritual Aspects of Herbal Medicine by Michael Tierra L.A.C.,O.M.D. www.planetherbs.com/articles/emotions

(14) Searching for China-American History www.ingo

(15) Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia

(16) World Mythology 1993 Roy Willis general editor Henry Holt and Co.

(17) Interview with Nitin Patel: Authentic Ayurveda in Natural Pharmacy 6-97

(18) The Yoga of Herbs by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad 1992 Lotus Press P.O. Box 325 Twin Lakes, Ws.

(19) The Complete Illustrated Guide to Ayurveda by Gopi Warrier and Deepika Gunawant 1997 Barnes and Noble Inc. by arrangement of Element Books Ltd.

(20) The Elements of Hinduism by Stephen Cross 1994 Element Books P.O. Box 830 Rockport, Ma.

(21) The Basics of Hinduism by Herbert Ellinger 1996 SCM Press Ltd. Trinity Press Int. P.O. Box 851 Valley Forge, Pa.

(22) Teach Yourself Hinduism by V.P. (Hemant) Kanitkar and W. Owen Cole 1995 NTC Publishing Group 4255 W. Touhy Ave. Lincolnwood (Chicago), Ill.

(23) Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D. 1988 Lotus Press Twinlakes, Wi.

(24) Wicca a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham 1988, 1997 Llewellyn Publications St Paul, Mn.

(25) The Roots of Healing-A Womans Book of Herbs by Deb Soule 1995, 1996 A Citadel Press Book published by Carol Publishing Group

(26) Wiccacraft by Gerina Dunwich 1997 A Citadel Press Book published by Carol Publishing Group

(27) Herbalism as a Way to Live www.canada2c.com/herbalism

(28) The Return of Spirit. A Womans Call to Spiritual Action by Josie Ravenwing 1996 Health Communications 3201 SW 15th St. Deerfield Beach, Fl.

(29) Medicine of the Earth by Susane Fischer Rizzi 1996 Rudra Press P.O. Box 13390 Portland, Oregon

(30) The Healers Manual by Ted Andrews 1996 Llewellyn Publications St Paul, Mn.

(31) Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham 1982, 1997 Llewellyn Publications St Paul, Mn.

(32) Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham 1985, 1997 Llewellyn Publications St Paul, Mn.

(33) Hygieia-A Womans Herbal by Jeannie Pakuati 1978 A Freestone Collective Book

(34) Wicca-The Old Religion in the New Millenium by Vivian Crowley 1991 Harper Collins

(35) www.spirithomepage

(36) Healing Herbs and Health Foods of the Zodiac by Ada Muir 1995 Llewellyn Publications St Paul, Mn.

(37) Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch 1995 Fireside 1230 Avenue of America New York, Ny.

(38) The Act of Meditation by Robert R. Leichtman M.D. and Carl Japikse 1998 Enthea Press 289 So. Main St. Alpha Rotta, Ga.

(39) From Medicine to Mysticism from The Science of Awakening by William S. Eidelman M.D. 1997 www.medicalmaze.com

(40) The Nazis and the Occult by D. Sklar Dorset Press New York

(41) The Herbal Tradition by Michael Tierra www.planetherbs.com

(42) All scripture from Authorized King James version

Comments and Suggestions

Please send me mail telling me what you think about this page and how I might improve it.

Last revised: April 29, 2013 .

Our thanks to Doug Ecklund R.Ph. who spent many hours researching this article for our Logos Resource Web site.  You may personally contact Mr. Ecklund at Douge93@cs.com . 

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Links to Topics:

Introduction
Elements of Homeopathy from the Mystical and Occult Realm
Animism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Eastern Religion
The Doctrine of Vital Force
Homeopathy is a Stepping Stone to Other Occult Activities

Introduction

Would you go to see a witch-doctor to cure a physical ailment? There might be some reading this research report that would, but few Christians would seek help from someone that they knew practiced occult medicine, using demonic powers for healing. The problem is, there is a whole new breed of healers using occult means and occult powers for healing. They neither dress like nor look like the witch-doctors you see in the pages of National Geographic. They look like you and me. I’ll never forget the time when a Christian woman came into my office and began pouring out her heart. She was going through “deep water” as it were. I asked her some questions and to my surprise I discovered she had been seeing a psychic. She came to me because her problems had dramatically worsened since then… nightmares, evil thoughts, depression, self-destructive thoughts. I told her that she was involved with the occult and God forbids all occult practices. I read and explained Deuteronomy 18:9-14. She protested. She said that the psychic had read the Bible to her, prayed with her and assured her that her gift was from God. This is not true. Acts 16:15-18 makes it clear that psychic powers are the result of demon possession. Further, Acts 13:10 gives us the Biblical evaluation of those who practice the occult —

And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

I then urged the woman to confess her involvement with the psychic as sin, repent and renounce all advice and association with the psychic reader.

My point is simply this, many New Age/Occult healing practices are disguised. Sometimes those involved quote the Bible and pray with their patients. But underneath the facade you will find the occult operating. That’s what is happening with homeopathy. It is my sincere prayer that you will read this research report and see how the “Angel of Light” has cleverly disguised his lies. Because of this disguise, many Christians are buying into homeopathy. May you know the truth and may the truth make you free.

Homeopathy was developed by a German mystic physician named Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann who lived between 1755-1843. Although there are three different streams of homeopath since its development, homeopathy has changed very little.

1. The Traditional Homeopath — This stream of homeopathic practitioners follows the occult theories of the father of homeopathic medicine, Samuel Hahnemann.
2. The Parapsychologically oriented Homeopaths — Those who follow this homeopathic path try to update the traditional methods of the 1800’s and bring them into the 20th Century. One of their “scientific Methods” is the practice of almost infinitely diluting its “medications.”
3. The Demythologized Homeopath — Those who follow this stream mistakenly think homeopathic medicines may work through unknown scientific principles, but questions the possibility that these medicines can really be effective in dilut ion so high that not even one molecule of the original medicine remains.

But, regardless of which stream one follows, the practices are still the same. In fact, “To his supporters, Hahnemann is the single genius in the history of recorded medicine.”¹

This system bases treatment on Similia similibus curantur which basically boils down to what you might call, “like cures like.” That is that the same substance causing symptoms in a healthy person will cure those symptoms in a sick person. One of the big problems is that homeopathy claims to correct an imbalance or problem in the body’s “vital force” or life energy. These imbalances, they claim, will sooner or later cause disease. We will take a closer look at the issue of “vital force” later in this report.

But there are also other equally disturbing problems with homeopathy. Many of the basic elements that C. F. Samuel Hahnemann brought into homeopathy are from the mystical & occult realm. Let’s consider some of them.

Elements of Homeopathy from the Mystical and Occult Realm

• Freemasonry

To begin with, “We know that he was a member of a Lodge of Free Masons.”² In my research library I have many old Masonic publications. They are filled with mysticism and the occult. In his studies for advancement in the Masonic order, Hahnemann would have been exposed to many of these ideas. It becomes obvious that Freemasonry influenced him, for on the title page of his “Bible of Homeopathy” are two interesting words — Aude-Sapere. Where did that come from? What does it mean? The motto of Freemasonry is Aude Sapere which means, Dare To Be Wise. Hahnemann “borrowed” the Masonic motto and placed it on the title page of his “Organon”.

• Swedenborgianism

I am the Mid-West bureau chief for the INDEPENDENT TV/NEWS SERVICE of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and hold press credentials from a Wisconsin news organization. August 23, 1993 I covered the Parliament Of The World’s Religions, held at the Palmer-House Hilton in Chicago. It was a smorgasbord of Apostate “Christian,” New Age, Occult religions. Invocationary “prayers” were offered by many, including a Catholic, a Unitarian, a Witch who “prayed” to Isis and a Swedenborgian. The Swedenborgains were high profile at the PWR. They had a double-wide exhibit in the display area. A brief look at the material I collected from their display shows that they blend mysticism, the occult and Christianity together.

Perhaps you are wondering what this has to do with Hahnemann. Let me tie it together for you. Hahnemann was an ardent follower of Swedish mystic philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) and Swedenborg was his mentor. Since Hahnemann followed Swedenborg you need to know what the man’s key teaching was. The key tenet of Swedenborg’s doctrine was his method of arriving at truth. “As employed by Swedenborg himself, it consisted of a series of Revelations, by which immediate and indubitable [unqu estionable] intercourse [communication] with the spirit world was obtained.”³ To put it simply Swedenborg taught his followers how to enter a state of consciousness that would put them in touch with spirit entities. He would claim that they were good spirits though anyone knowledgeable in the Scriptures would identify them as demons. Actually what you have here is what the Bible forbids as necromancy (see Deuteronomy 18:9-12). One researcher hits the nail on the head when he says Swedenborg was a “powerful spiritist and medium.”⁴

How did this affect Hahnemann? “Hahnemann himself claimed to be ‘inspired’ in his homeopathic writings.”⁵ Now this is not an obscure fact among homeopathic practitioners. In the Swiss Homeopathic Journal, #4, 1960 the president of the International League of Homeopathy noted this fact to a group of homeopaths when he said,

It’s futile to reject this or that principle announciated in the ‘Organ’ [Organon]. There remains more than enough to recognize the unfathomable intuition and divinitory spirit of its author.⁶

Many homeopaths look at his book as a divinely mystical book. When a man claims divine revelation or inspiration as the source of his writings, that should immediately raise huge red flags in the minds of any Christian. It is only the Bible that is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

• Paracelsianism

Martin Gumpert wrote a book entitled, Hahnemann: The Adventerous Career of a Medical Rebel. In this book it reveals that Hahnemann studied and delighted in the teachings of a Swiss occultic medical philosopher named Paracelsus (1493-1541). Paracelsu s developed a medical philosophy that combined the esoteric occult teachings of the Cabala with the facts and fancies of science. His “medical” philosophy was occult oriented without a doubt. The teachings of Paracelsus stimulated Hahnemann’s thinking and he developed some of his doctrine based on the occult teachings of Paracelsus. Hahnemann was drawn like a magnet to occult ideas and the teachings of Franz Mesmer just added to the heap.

• Mesmerism

Franz Mesmer (1733-1815) was a Swiss-German physician that founded the doctrine of animal magnetism, often called mesmerism. What Mesmer uncovered was actually an occult art that had been used for centuries by Shamans (witch doctors) to bring people under their control. Mesmer learned the technique that allowed him to produce an abnormal condition resembling sleep in another person. During this state, the mind of the individual remained passive and was subject to the will of the operator. Mesmer used this hypnotic state to heal patients that were sick. In fact, in his Homeopathic Bible, the Organon, Hahnemann compared the similarities between the practice of homeopathy and mesmerism. Consider this quote from the 6th edition of the Organon —

I find it yet necessary to allude here to animal magnetism, as it is defined, or rather Mesmerism. […] It is a marvelous, priceless gift of God […] by means of which the strong will of a well intentioned person upon a sick one by contact and even without this and even at some distance, can bring the vital energy of the healthy mesmerizer endowed with this power into another person dynamically […] The above mentioned methods of practicing mesmerism depend upon an influx of more or less vital force into the patient […]”⁷

Oh, by the way, what Hahnemann has just described is modern psychic healing.

Animism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Eastern Religion

During my research I became increasingly aware that this man rejected the Bible and God’s “wisdom that is from above” and followed the earthly, sensual and devilish wisdom from beneath (James 3:15-17). Then I came across a quote that reveals his view of Christ! Hahnemann was offended by the life of Jesus Christ. He mocks Jesus Christ, calling Him “the arch-enthusiast” His biographers write —

He took offense at the arch-enthusiast Jesus of Nazareth, who did not lead the enlightened on the straight way to wisdom but who wanted to struggle with publicans and sinners on a difficult path toward the establishment of the kingdom of God. . . . The man of sorrows who took the darkness of the world on Himself was an offense to the lover of etheric [highly refined, heavenly] wisdom” [Hahnemann].⁸

How can a Christian follow the “inspired” teachings of a Christ rejecter like C. F. Samuel Hahnemann? In some cases is it because of ignorance. In other cases Satan has blinded their minds. Let’s move on.

According to Martin Gumpert, Samuel Hahnemann was influenced by animism.⁹ And he was also into other Eastern religions. One biography reveals “he is strongly attracted to the East. Confucius is his ideal.”¹⁰ This is well documented by a letter Hahne mann wrote.

“This is where you can read divine wisdom, without [e.g., Christian] miracle-myths and superstition. I regard it as an important sign of our times that Confucius is now available for us to read. Soon I will embrace him in the kingdom of blissful spirits, the benefactor of humanity, who has shown us the straight path to wisdom and to God, already 650 years before the arch-enthusiast….”¹¹

It is little wonder that Samuel Pfeifer says, “The reverence for Eastern thought was not just Hahnemann’s personal hobby, but rather the fundamental philosophy behind the preparation of homeopathic remedies.” ¹² In an excellent Christian book published in Northern Ireland, H.J. Bopp concludes after reading Hahnemann and other homeopathic writings that —

[…] the vocabulary is esoteric and the ideas are impregnated with oriental philosophies like Hinduism. The predominant strain of pantheism would place God everywhere, in each man, each animal, plant, flower, cell, even in homeopathic medicine.”¹³

The Doctrine of Vital Force

Even if we were to exclude all the above influences that play a part in homeopathy (which we can’t), there is yet one major, Major, major problem. That is the doctrine that underlies all homeopathic treatment. That is the doctrine of vital force. This was mentioned in a quote from Hahnemann on Mesmerism. But what does it actually mean?

“What Hahnemann taught was that mystical energies were at the base of both human nature and the medicines themselves, thus at the very base of creation itself. This is why many commentators, both sympathetic and critical, teach that Hahnemann was referring to new age spiritual or cosmic energy when talking of his vital force.”¹⁴

If you know your New Age & occult philosophy you will recognize that what is in focus here is pantheism, that is, the belief that divinity or life force is inseparable from and immanent in everything. Leading homeopath Herbert Robert put it this way, relating homeopathy’s vital force to a pantheistic deity in his Art of Cure by Homeopathy. He said the “vital force” of homeopathy was part of “the moving Energy, the activating Power of the universe,” as being “passed on in all forms and degrees of living creatures,” and as permeating the universe:

If therefore this force, this energy, actuates or permeates all forms and degrees of life from the most humble and inconspicuous to the very planets, we may reasonably assume that vital force is the most fundamental of all conditions of the universe, and that the laws governing the vital force in the individual are correlated with the laws which govern all vital force, all forms of energy, wherever or however expressed. […] This energy […] is responsible for all growth and all development in all spheres of existence.¹⁵

Daisie and Michael Radner see the connection between homeopathy and occult energy fields.

Like Chinese medicine, homeopathy posits [assumes as fact] an energy field or ‘vital force.’ Disease is a disorder of the body’s energy field, and the way to cure it is to manipulate that field. The energy field of the medicine stimulates that body’s own fluid to induce healing. As with Chinese medicine, it is maintained that the energy fields are similar to those of modern physics. Again the principle cited is the interchangeability of matter and energy.¹⁶

So how is one healed by homeopathy? “The healing power”, say the homeopaths, “is coming from cosmic power transferred to the remedy through the ritual of potentiation” (Organ 2:12). The “ritual of potentiation” is a reference to the diluting and shaking of the homeopathic medicines. That, according to homeopaths, enhances and increases the power of the medicine and that power is then transferred to the person. In fact, “some leading homeopaths have confessed that the energy they claim to manipulate in curing people is indistinguishable from that occult energy in general which has gone by a wide variety of names throughout history.”¹⁷

What is frightening is the fact that one homeopathic Doctor, “Vithoulkas”, openly reveals that the real purpose of homeopathy is “to help open the higher centers [of the brain] for spiritual and celestial influx.”¹⁸

What’s he talking about? Demonic invasion! Physician H. J. Bopp relates his own clinical experience: “The occult influence in homeopathy is transmitted to the individual, bringing him consciously or unconsciously under demonic influence. […] It is significant frequently to find nervous depression in families using homeopathic treatments.”¹⁹

Other homeopaths admit an occult connection. Homeopathic authority James Kent states that there are two worlds, the physical world and the invisible world. He says that the whole of homeopathy is bound up in the invisible world, which is indistinguishable from the spiritual world of the occult realm .²⁰

Perhaps Richard Grossinger, author of Planet Medicine: From Stone Age Shamanism to Post-Industrial Healing does the best of summing up the information I have just presented to you —

Homeopathy is neither the first nor the last attempt to develop a scientific Vitalist [occult] medicine. Alchemists, gnostics, animists, and other naturalist-magicians worked for millennia toward a cure based on the life force in the primal energy of nature. Goethe, Steiner, Jung, and Reich followed. […] It [homeopathy] persists [today] as a clinical occult discipline.²¹

He further states,

Psychic healing, homeopathy, acupuncture, orgone therapy, and various shamanisms and voodoo all suggest that there must be an energy outside of contemporary definition.”²²

Homeopathy is a Stepping Stone to Other Occult Activities

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Though many homeopaths attempt to “dress up” this mystical occult medicine in clothes of respectability, not all homeopaths play that game. Leading Swiss homeopath, Dr. Adolf Voegeli is one such person. When he was asked how he explained the working of the cosmic energy in homeopathy he responded, “You know, I believe in the power of the zodiac.” He does not keep this belief a secret either. In an article on the mechanisms of homeopathy published in the Zeitschrift fuer Klassiche Homoeopathie (Journal for Classical Homeopathy) the bibliography resembles a collection of occult, hinduistic, and anthroposophical literature.²³

Many homeopaths diagnose on the basis of astrological signs or otherwise employ astrology in their practice.²⁴ For example, one homeopath confesses,

In homeopathy we have to put more stress on individual differences, and that leads us to an interest in such things as astrology and acupuncture”²⁵

Others use divination to find a cure. Dr. Voegeli, a famous homeopathic doctor, has confirmed that a very high percentage of homeopaths work with the pendulum.²⁶ Dr. Pfeifer, M.D., also notes the use of pendulums by homeopaths because “it is easier to take a short cut with the radionic pendulum.”²⁷ For example, former Lutheran pastor, Bolte, got his “gift” of soothsaying by means of a radionic pendulum. Like many other homeopaths, he chooses the appropriate remedy for a patient by using the pendulum. In his booklet From Pendulum Research to Miraculous Healing he writes:

I would sit at the desk, take the pendulum out, let it circle over Schwabe’s list of homeopathic remedies and then order the remedy at their pharmacy in Leipzig.”²⁸

[Note that since homeopathic “medicines” are all diluted so far as to contain practically none of the original substance, it would logically follow that it should make no difference at all which one is prescribed. Bolte’s claim of success as a result of prescribing random remedies only serves to support the fact that they are all the same… ordinary water.]

Still others use even more hard core occult means. There are groups whose [homeopathic] research is carried out during seances, through mediums who seek information from spirits. The testimony of a person who worked in an important homeopathic laboratory of high standing in France is very interesting. She tells about the interview she had with the former director and founder of the establishment with a view to her recruitment. After a short introduction, this director asked her which astrological sign she was born under. He then wished to know whether she was a medium. As this was so, he confided to her the secret of the practices of the place. New treatments were researched there during seances, through the agency of persons having occult powers — mediums by which to question spirits.²⁹

The frosting on the occult cake comes from a former new age healer and psychic who says “it is a fact that many homeopathic practitioners try to make sure their remedies are working by putting a magic spell on them”.³⁰

In conclusion I issue this warning to all Christians. Homeopathic practices can and do open the door of your mind to demonic influences. Though the occult influence in homeopathy is often disguised, nonetheless it is there. Allow me to share a second time this quote from one Christian researcher — “The occult influence in homeopathy is transmitted to the individual, bringing him consciously or unconsciously under demonic influence […] It is significant frequently to find nervous depression in families using homeopathic treatments.”³¹ Ephesians 5:11 instructs us, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

Footnotes

1. Richard Grossinger, Planet Medicine: From Stone Age Shamanism to Post-Industrial Healing, Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1980; p. 162-3
2. H. J. Bopp, Homeopathy, Down, North Ireland: Word of Life Publications, 1984; p. 3
3. Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary; 1913; p. 2437
4. Ankerberg & Weldon, Can You Trust Your Doctor; Wolgemut & Hyatt; p. 315
5. Ibid. p. 318
6. H. J. Bopp; p. 3
7. Samuel Hahnemann, Organon of Medicine, 6th edition, reprint, New Dehli, India: B. Jain Publishers, 1978; p. 309 & 311
8. Samuel Pfeifer, M.D., Healing at Any Price?, Milton Keynes, England: Word Limited, 1988
9. Martin Gumpert, Hahnemann: The Adventerous Career of a Medical Rebel, New York, NY: L.B. Fisher, 1945; p.20
10. Samuel Pfeifer; p.68
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Samuel Hahnemann, The Chronic Diseases, Their Particular Nature and Their Homeopathic Cure — Theoretical Part, Louis H. Tafel – Translator, New Dehli, India: Jain Publishing Company, 1976; p.7
14. Ankerberg & Weldon; p. 321
15. Herbert Robert, M.D., Art of Cure by Homeopathy: A Modern Textbook, reprint, New Dehli, India: B. Jain Publishers, 1976
16. Daisie Radner, Michael Radner, “Holistic Methodology and Pseudoscience”; p. 154
17. Ankerberg 7 Weldon; p. 324
18. Jane D. Gumprecht, Holistic Health: A Medical and Biblical Critique of New Age Deception, Moscow, ID: Random Press, 1986; p. 150
19. Bopp; p.10
20. James Tyler Kent, Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy, Richmond CA: North Atlantic Books, 1979; p. 75-76
21. Richard Grossinger; p. 162-163
22. Ibid.; p. 128-129
23. Pfeifer; p. 68-69
24. Bopp; p.5
25. Evelyn DeSmedt, et. al., Life Arts: A practical Guide To Total Being — New Age Medicine and Ancient Wisdom, New york, NY.; St. Martins Press, 1977; p. 142
26. Bopp; p.8
27. Pfeifer; p. 73
28. Ibid., p. 19-20
29. Bopp, p. 8
30. Pfeifer, p. 81
31. Bopp, p. 10
33. E-mail: FirstBaptistChurchOC@gmail.com
    

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