"Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals"

"He who begins by seeking God within himself may end up confusing himself as God" - B.B. Warfield. God in His word puts it this way, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man” - Psalm 188:8.
 

The word  brainwashing came to be used in the  United States in an effort to  explain why, compared to earlier wars, a  relatively high percentage of  American GI's defected to the Communists  after becoming prisoners of  war in Korea. Later analysis determined that   some of the primary methodologies employed on them during their  imprisonment included sleep deprivation and other intense psychological  manipulations designed to break down the autonomy of individuals. 

 These  same methods are used, as witnesses attest to, within PSI/EST  seminars.  Lack of sleep, inadequate food breaks, emotional unrest and  exhaustion,  are common troubling problems voiced by many participants in  attendance.  Mind controlling all one's thoughts and actions is a serious offense.  The fact there are people in our midst who desire and pay for such entrained abuse is also a very serious subject matter.  

Robert  Lifton, MD, is known for his studies and expertise pertaining  to the  psychological causes and effects of war and political violence  and for  his theory of thought reform. 

In 2006,  Lifton appeared with  fellow psychiatrist Peter A. Olsson on the History  Channel in a  documentary of Cults, titled “Decoding The Past”. Lifton  outlines 8  characteristics used in brainwashing techniques. I have  included a  summary of each of the characteristics according to his  findings.

1. Milieu Control – Control of information and communication.  
2. Mystical Manipulation – Personal manipulation by a person or   organization that creates a mystique around themselves, making them   appear to have knowledge or a unique position/relationship to God.  
3. Demand For Purity – Disowning anything that makes life complicated, seeking the pure truth.  
4. Cult Confession – Purging of wrong thoughts, deeds, and/or actions (confession sessions).  
5. Sacred Science – Their truth is the truth. There is no other truth. Only their truth works, prevails, is tested, and achieved.  
6. Load The Language – The use of thought terminating cliches.  
7. Doctrine Over Person – Subordination of human experience to   doctrine. They are right....you are always wrong, unless of course you   agree with their doctrine.  
8. Dispensing Of Existence – The organization has all rights  because  they know what is right. If you do not agree with the  organization  your rights are terminated, or you are made to believe you  don't have a  right to life. 

Author  of the Book “Cults In Our Midst”, Margaret Thaler Singer  writes, “The  critical news is that you create everything. In short – you  caused  everything that has ever happened to you. Your loss of a job,  your  broken relationships, and your negative attitude – everything that  you  suffer from is your fault. You are responsible!

Essentially,  your  life is not working and you need it fixed! The answer is always  the  same. The seminar is your answer to every problem you have ever  faced”

• Clinical psychologist and former professor emeritus of the   University of California – Berkeley, Author, Margaret Thaler Singer,   (1921 – 2003), “Cults In Our Midst” (with Janja Lalich). In the 1960's   Singer began to study the nature of cults and mind control and served  on  the board of the American Family Foundation. Dr. Singer's main areas  of  research included schizophrenia (reported nominated twice for the  Nobel  Prize for her work in schizophrenia), family therapy,  brainwashing and  coercive persuasion. She gave expert testimony in  several cult-related  trials, including the 1976 trial of Patty Hearst,  who had previously  been kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army,  and the 1977 hearing  for five members of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's  Unification Church. 
• Having  interviewed more than 3,000 cult members, and assisted in  over 200  court cases, Singer played a role in the trial of Kenneth  Bianchi, in  the “Hillside Strangler” case. Singer concluded that  Bianchi had faked  symptoms of multiple personality disorder, in order  to escape  responsibility for the murders of several women in Los  Angeles. 
• She was a  guest on the PBS Frontline, speaking about the trial,  in a special show  entitled: “The Mind of a Murderer.” Singer asserted  that Bianchi was a  psychopath. Margret was a leading researcher in the  field of  psychosomatic medicine, and was made President of the American   Psychosomatic Society in 1974, having been the first female president  of  the Society. 

Having  served on President Gerald Ford's Biomedical Research Panel  she has  won numerous awards including the Leo J. Ryan Memorial Award,  for  research on cults, from the Citizens Freedom Foundation, Research   Scientist Award from the National Institute of Mental Health, Hofheimer   Prize, American College of Psychiatrists, 1966, Stanley R. Dean Award   from the American College of Psychiatrists, Research in Schizophrenia, 

 1976,  Achievement Awards – Mental Health Association of the United  States,  McAlpine Award for achievement in Research from the Mental  Health  Association of the United States, American Association for  Marriage and  Family Therapy Award for Cumulative contributions to  Research in  Family Therapy. In 2004, the international Cultic Studies  Association  created the “Margaret Singer Award” in her honor. The  American  Psychological Association (APA) in 1983 asked Singer, who was  one of  the leading proponents of coercive persuasion theories, to chair a  task  force to investigate whether brainwashing or “coercive persuasion”  did  indeed play a role in recruitment by such groups The task force was   title APA Task Force On Deceptive and Indirect Techniques of Persuasion   and Control (DIMPAC).

In  1996, Landmark Education (an EST company), sued Singer for  defamation.  Singer mentioned Landmark Education in “Cults in our Midst;  it was  unclear whether she labeled Landmark Education as a cult or not.  

Amanda  Scioscia, 2000, reported in the Phoenix New Times that Singer  never  called Landmark a cult, but that she described it as a  “controversial  New Age training course”. She also stated that she would  not recommend  the group to anyone, and would not comment on whether  Landmark uses  coercive persuasion for fear of legal recrimination from  Landmark. 

• Singer comments on Landmark, “I do not endorse them – never have”,   in her 70's at the time, she said she can't comment on whether  Landmark  uses coercive persuasion because “the SOB's have already sued  me once.”  “I'm afraid to tell you what I really think about them  because I'm not  covered by any lawyers like I was when I wrote my book”  - wikipedia.org 

On  March 22, 1997, Marshall Herff Applewhite and 37 of his disciples   decided the time had come to shed their bodies – mere “containers” -  and  be whisked up to a UFO trailing the Hale-Bopp Comet, en route to   heaven's gate. So they put themselves to sleep by mixing phenobarbital   into pudding or applesauce, washing it down with vodka, and then fixing   plastic bags over their heads so they would suffocate in their  slumber. 

On  that same day, a cottage in French Canadian village of St. Casimir   exploded in an inferno, consuming five people – the latest of 74   members of the Order of the Solar Temple to have committed suicide in   Canada, Switzerland, and France. All were hoping to be transported to   the star Sirius, nine light-years away.

Sun  Myung Moon's mixture of Christianity, anticommunism, and  glorification  of Moon himself as a new messiah attracted a worldwide  following. In  response to Moon's declaration, “What I wish must be your  wish,” many  people committed themselves and their incomes to the  Unification  Church.

 In 1978 in Guyana, 914 disciples of  Jim Jones, who  had followed him there from San Francisco, shocked the  world when they  died by following his order to down a suicidal grape  drink laced with  tranquilizers, painkillers, and a lethal dose of  cyanide.

In  1993, high-school dropout David Koresh used his talent for  memorizing  Scripture and mesmerizing people to seize control of a  faction of a  sect called the Branch Davidians. Over time, members were  gradually  relieved of their bank accounts and possessions. Koresh also  persuaded  the men to live celibately while he slept with their wives and   daughters, and he convinced his 19 “wives” that they should bear his   children. 

Under  siege after a shootout that killed six members and four federal   agents, Koresh told his followers they would soon die and go with him   straight to heaven. Federal agents rammed the compound with tanks,   hoping to inject tear gas, and, by the end of the assault, 86 people   were consumed in a fire that engulfed the compound. 

Why  would people be  persuaded by cults or organizations that employ  brainwashing techniques?  What must a person do to safe-guard themselves  from such destructive  programing? Reviewing social psychology research  provides clues into  cult phenomenon and the people who are attracted  to the dynamics they  employ. 

• Deindividuation -Loss of self-awareness and evaluation  apprehension;  occurs in group situations that foster responsiveness to  group norms,  good or bad. Deindividuation can occur when one loses  one's social  identity and behaves in a manner in which one would not  behave (Nelsen,  2005).  
• Reward theory of attraction: The people who reward us, or who  we  associate with rewards, we like. This is especially true if the   relationship is more profitable than alternative relationships (Burgess   & Hudston, 1979; Kelly, 1979; Rusbult, 1980). We not only like   people who are rewarding to be with; we also, according to the reward   principle, like those we associate with good feelings. “If the cult and   its trainer or charismatic leader provides you with the magical  solution  to your problems in life, you feel better about yourself, even  if the  solutions are a problem” - Synthia Esther. Theorists Donn Byrne  and  Gerald Clore – 1970, Albert Lott and Bernice Lott – 1974, Jan  DeHouwer  and colleagues – 2001, conditioning creates positive feelings  toward  things and people linked with rewarding events. Linking by  association  principle (Paul Lewicki, 1985).  
• In everyday life people associate mostly with others whose   attitudes are similar to their own. People also tend to select friends   and marry those who are a good or equal match not only to their level  of  attractiveness (Bernard Murstein - 1986), but intelligence as well.   Liking another person is greatly aided by similarity of attitudes,   beliefs, and values. Cult members share the same cult experience,   attitudes, beliefs, and values. A person's liking for another “does”   predict the others liking in return (Kenny & Nasby, 1980).  
• “Most of a person's everyday life is determined not by their   conscious intentions and deliberate choices but by mental processes  that  are put into motion by features of the environment and that  operate  outside of conscious awareness and guidance” - John Bargh,  Tanya  Dhartrand (1999).  
• Conformity grows if judgments are difficult or if the   participants feel incompetent. The more insecure we are about our   judgments, the more influenced we are by others. Someone who punctures a   group's unanimity deflates its social power (Allen & Levine, 1969,   Asch, 1955, Morris & Miller, 1975).  
• Conformity is highest when a group has three or more people and   is cohesive, unanimous, and high in status (conformity is played out in   PSI/EST group games).  
• Obedience, conformity, and conscious. Milgram (1965, 1974)   experiments tested what happens when the demands of authority clash  with  the demands of conscience. Electrical shocks administered as  explicitly  commanded, succeeded in pressuring people to go against  their own  consciences. In the Milgram obedience experiments, a powerful  social  pressure (the experimenter's commands) overcame a weaker one  (the remote  victim's pleas). Torn between the pleas of the victim and  the orders of  the experimenter, between the desire to avoid doing harm  and the desire  to be a good participant, a surprising number of people  chose to obey.  Most cult members do the same, proving they are a good  participant.  
• People see not only what they expect, but also correlations  they  want to see – Illusory correlations. One of many research studies  that  prove this correlation exist was done by Mariette Berndsen and   co-researchers (1996).  
• Associating a message with good feelings makes it more   convincing. People often make quick, less reflective judgments while in   good moods. Emotionally packed messages that are vivid and arouse fear   can also be effectively utilized, particularly if the participant can   take protective action. Usually face to face appeals work best. By   breaking you down, the cult trainer/leader than becomes the savior who   builds you back up. As a means of self preservation you accept the   savior and the message which makes you feel better. Then you celebrate   your brainwashing in the happy, happy, joy, joy cult after party.   Proverbs 19:2, “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to  be  hasty and miss the way.” God's Biblical knowledge leads to wisdom  and  understanding (Proverbs 2).  
• Attitudes follow behavior. New recruits or converts soon learn   that membership is a very serious privilege. Therefore they are   encouraged to become active members of their new system of belief's by   compiling to group norms and rituals. Bringing in new converts, family   members and friends who can share in their new found cult experience.   The more recruits and converts they bring into the organization the  more  they feel they belong, are accepted, and indeed “get it”. As those  in  social-psychological experiments come to believe in what they bear   witness to (Aronson & Mills, 1959; Gerad & Mathewson, 1966), so   cult initiates become committed advocates. The greater the personal   commitment, the more the need to justify it. The more money is spent,   the more the need to justify the spending. Cult members may state,  “This  experience changed my life!” The Bible states, only Jesus Christ can change a life!  
• Emotionally packed messages as well as the warmth and  acceptance  the group showers lonely or depressed people can be  profoundly  appealing: *Trust the trainer, join the family; we have the  answer, we  know the way. This message is reinforced through  participation in group  activities, small group discussions, group  exercises, or direct social  pressure. Occult techniques such as  visualization, subliminal  indoctrination, hyper awareness, and hypnotism  techniques are often  utilized. *Authorities backed by institutions  wield social power  (Robert Ornstein, 1991).  
• Trust is another aspect of credibility. Margaret Singer (1979)   noted that middle-class Caucasian youths are more vulnerable to   recruitment because they are more trusting. They lack the “street   smarts” of lower-class youths (who know how to resist a hustle) and the   wariness of upper-class youths (who have been warned of kidnappers  since  childhood). Many cult members have been recruited by friends or   relatives, people they trust (Stark & Bainbridge, 1980).  
• Higher status people tend to have more impact (Driskell & Mullen, 1990)  
• Potential converts are often at turning points in their lives,   facing personal problems or crises, vacationing or living away from   home. They have needs; the cult offers them an answer (Singer, 1979,   Lofland & Stark, 1965).  
• The cult usually separates members from their previous social   support systems, friends and family so as to isolate them with other   cultists. Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge (1980) call this tactic   “social implosion”. External ties weaken until the group collapses   inward socially, each person engaging only with other group members.  Cut  off from families and former friends, they lose access to   counterarguments. The group now offers identity and defines reality. 

1st Corinthians 15:33, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Ephesians  5:6-7, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for  because of such  things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  (7) Therefore do  not be partners with them.”

• Before encountering other personal opinions and judgments, make a   public commitment to your position. By standing up for your convictions   you are less likely to become susceptible or fall into temptation by   exchanging your belief's for someone else's. In mock civil trails,  straw  polls of jurors can foster a hardening of expressed positions,  leading  to more deadlocks (Davis & Others, 1993). 
• “The more you know what  you stand for, the more difficult it is  for another to cause you to  doubt what you know.After several sessions  during the seventh and eighth  grades, the "inoculated" students were  half as likely to begin smoking  as were the "Un-inoculated" students at  another junior high school that  had an identical parental smoking  rate.” 
• Attitude inoculation – Exposing people to weak attacks and   arguments pertaining to their attitudes and/or beliefs, so that when   stronger attacks come, they will have refutations available (Jacks  &  Cameron, 2003). A research team led by Alfred McAlister (1980)  had high  school students “inoculate” seventh graders against peer  pressures to  smoke. 
• The seventh graders were taught to respond to advertisements   implying that liberated women smoke by saying, “She's not really   liberated if she is hooked on tobacco.” They also acted in role plays  in  which, after being called “chicken” for not taking a cigarette, they   answered with statements like, “I'd be a real chicken if I smoked just   to impress you.” After several of these sessions during the seventh  and  eighth grades, the inoculated students were half as likely to begin   smoking as were un-inoculated students at another junior high school   that had an identical parental smoking rate.  
• An attack or argument, if refuted, is more likely to solidify a   person's position within a cult than to undermine it, particularly if   the threatening material can be examined with like minded persons.  Cults  use this tactic by forewarning members of how families and  friends will  attack the cult's beliefs and doctrines. When the  inevitable occurs the  cult member is ready and able to counter argue.  An ineffective  unprepared appeal or persuasion can be worse than none  because those who  reject an appeal have been prepared and inoculated  against most  appeals.  
• Proverbs 2:1-11, “My son, if you accept my words and store up  my  commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your  heart  to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud  for  understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for  it  as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord   and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his   mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for   the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he   guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful  ones.  Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every  good  path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be  pleasant  to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding  will guard  you.” 
• Ministries to lead the world to  this profound Biblical truth.  God's word is all the wisdom and  understanding you will ever need or  desire in life. By staying within  the word of God you are planting His  seed of success, victory, personal  achievement, and power from on high  within your heart, mind, and soul. 

 If  this sounds familiar you may attribute these same sentiments to  “The  Secret Law Of Attraction” principles in the movie “The Secret” and  book  released by Australian author Rhonda Byrne. The movie claims in   principal, like attracts like, choices both good and bad are fueled by   our thoughts, everything that's coming into your life you are  attracting  etc. You are responsible for all that has happened in your  life. Sounds  like another documented quote from a PSI/EST seminar.

 The  law of attraction principles used within the movie “The Secret”  came  through spirit entities called “Abraham” channeled by Esther Hicks.  The  Abraham entities are referred to as “we are you in the future”. 

God   finds such demonic/occult practices detestable (Deuteronomy 18:10-16).   For additional information concerning “The Secret” with Biblical   insights you can reference my article, “The Secret Law Of Attraction – A   False Reality Of A Conceptual Manner.” 

 The  Ankerberg Theological Research Institute, John Ankerburg's  website has  an excellent reference article under new age; Is “The  Secret”  compatible with Biblical Christianity? 

By  staff correspondent A  by ATRI, “Oprah guest and “Secret” promoter  Michael Beckwith, founder  and paster of Agape International Spiritual  Center describes his  theology as being in the “New Thought – Ancient  Wisdom tradition of  spirituality. 

Russ  Wise suggests he is the most troubling of the Secret  teachers “because  he represents a pseudo – Christianity. He has the  greatest ability to  be used to deceive those whom God has touched by His  Gospel.” 

The  article goes on to give comment to a question on “The Oprah  Winfrey  Show”, when an audience member asked a question about heaven and  hell.  Beckwith responded, “Jesus the Christ   said the kingdom of heaven is within. He didn't say it was out there   somewhere – he said within. And so is it possible to consider that the   kingdom of hell is within as well?...

The  kingdom of God is actually in  us, and what comes out of your mouth,  what you think about, how you  express- you're either participating in  the realm of ever-expanding good  or you're cutting yourself off from  the realm.”

James Swan of Alpha and Omega Ministries explains the problem with  one part of Beckwith's answer.

 “Notice  the context of the Biblical  phrase kingdom of God was completely  devoid from the answer. In Luke 17,  the Pharisees wanted to know when  the Kingdom would come. When would  God's people see their prophesied  theocratic leader? Certainly Jesus  didn't believe God's kingdom was  within these religious leaders. He  considered them religious  hypocrites. 

In  Romans 14:17, Paul states, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter  of  eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the  Holy  Spirit, because anyone who serves God this way is pleasing to God  and  approved by men.” 

Jesus is actually rebuking  the hypocrisy of the  Pharisees, pointing out that the kingdom is an  inner righteousness, not  an outward righteousness of eating and drink,  rules and regulations. We  are given Christ's righteousness in justification. The Holy Spirit performs his work of sanctification, making our works pleasing to God.

The answer given by the Oprah show does more than misquote a Bible  verse. It denies the Gospel.”

 The  Gospel, as any careful reader will  discern, is not the only Biblical  doctrine or claim that is denied. In  his review of “The Secret”, Donald  Whitney says, “It is no exaggeration  to say that this book implicitly  (and sometimes explicitly) denies  virtually every major doctrine in the  Bible.” B.B. Warfild once said: 

He who begins by seeking God within himself may end up confusing himself as God”.

God puts it this way, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man” - Psalm 188:8. 

By Synthia Esther

Date Written: 3-3-07

 There  is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that  can succeed apart from the  Lord's will.(1) Honest scales and balances  are from the Lord; all the  weights in the bag are of His making.(2)  Despite what others may tell  you... you cannot mentally attract or think  your way to claiming  victory, success, power, or influence. Nor can you  attract personal  property or possessions. 

What  you come to know as  inspirational guidance, direction and influence is  learned through your  life's past and present circumstances and  experience. How you allow your  life experience to motivate and  cultivate your destiny is a personal  free will choice.

 In  God's sovereignty life is a divine trip  filled with wonder and  circumstance that He ordained and knew we would  accomplish before time  itself became a physical reality. In His hand is  the life of every  creature and the breath of all mankind.

 Does not the  ear test words as  the tongue tastes food? 

Is  not wisdom found among the  aged Does not long life bring  understanding? To God belong wisdom and  power: counsel and  understanding are His. What He tears down cannot be  rebuilt; the man He  imprisons cannot be released. If He holds back the  waters, there is  drought; if He lets them loose, they devastate the  land. To Him belong  strength and victory; both deceived and deceiver are  His. He leads  counselors away stripped and makes fools of judges. He  takes off the  shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their  waist. 

He  leads priests away stripped and overthrows men long  established. He  silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the  discernment of  elders. He pours contempt on nobles and disarms the  mighty. He reveals  the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows  into the light. He  makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges  nations, and  disperses them.  He deprives the leaders of the earth of  their reason;  He sends them wandering through a trackless waste. They  grope in  darkness with no light; He makes them stagger like  drunkards.(3)

 We  are the sum total of our circumstances and  events in life (motive),  unless we realize the spiritual significance  behind the sum total of  our life events (growth). 

We  are a product of  our circumstances as well as our choices. God placed  those circumstances  in order before time itself so that all of humanity  would be reconciled  unto Him. God did not cause humanity to sin. We  are each held  responsible for our sin as well as our reaction to the  sin imposed upon  us. 

God  knew what our reaction to our life's circumstances would be. He  knew  those of us who would take the path of Cain instead of the path of  Abel. 

He knew if we would be one to retain our path of mental and  physical experiences as knowledge to achieve our future eternal salvation   or our future doom. Everything that happens within our life time is an   opportunity to show who and what we are in spirit and in truth.

 Despite  God's omnipresent knowledge He still  endowed us, His children, with  the potential to change. We always retain  our free will choice in life.  While some may choose the path of Cain,  there are others that cleave  to the Father of all creation, God himself.  

This  may seem foreign to most of humanity but it was not foreign to God   when He created us. We choose our path in life according to our   choices, what we choose is our choice. If these statements seem   repetitive they are meant to be so in order to over ride mental denial   of personal will. 

 The heart of the  discerning acquires  knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.(4) Due  to the path of evil  resistance, and the path of Godly influence we are  a product of our  environment unless we choose to change our  environment. We can limit  ourselves with the path of self interest, or  we can delve into the path  of divine providence. 

It  is all a matter of personal and willful choice  that will ultimately  determine our outcome, not only in this present  life but in our future  eternal glory. How can one say He is right or He  is wrong without the  guidance of Biblical law and God's wisdom? To God  belong wisdom and  power; counsel and understanding are His.(5)

The  Bible doesn't change, humanity does. The  Biblical law within the  context of human experience send forth the  product of spiritual  dissonance or the power of God's providential laws  depending on our  reactions to our human experiences. This is evident in  all Biblical  Scripture. Obey God's Holy Word and you experience His  providence,  prosperity and protection. 

Like  a bird who chirps in the  morning sunrise so is a man who continues in  endless pursuit of evil. He  is a product of inherit nature. He does  what he knows to do. To change  the nature, one has to change the  environment. To change the  environment, one has to change their  detrimental choices in life. We are  who we are because of what we  choose to think, do or say.

God  knows those who will choose to change and  those who will choose not  to. He knows who will be repentant and those  who will not. Many may ask  if God already knows the outcome than why  must we endure a life filled  with experience. The answer to that is a  simple fact: without life  experience we do not have free-will choice. A  person can love someone  but they cannot “make“ someone love them. Love  is a free-will, soulful,  heart felt experience. God's desire is for all  of humanity to be  reconciled and in love with Him so He created us with a  mind to freely  choose. 

The  cause and effect of our life's experience  and personal choices provides  us with the evidence of who and what we  are made of, iron sharpens  iron. Those who delight and follow God's Holy  Biblical laws are His  children, as they meditate on the law day and  night.(6) 

They consider their life's journey as one of sacred pursuit. 

 Those  who follow another path in life, belong  to another father. While we  may put on the mask of false persona God  knows the spiritual condition  of our soul. We cannot ever fool God.  While we may fool the world we  will never fool the creator of the world.  While we may seem like a  completely content human on the outside, 

God   knows our inner most being. 

He knows who we are in spirit and in  truth.  The spirit searches all things even the deep things of God.(7) 

While  this may seem insignificant to most of the world, it is not  insignificant. In fact, who we are in Christ   is who God created us to be, a child of the King of kings and Lord of   lords. Our motives and inner most secrets confirm this truth each and   every day. What we do in secret is who we are. Who we are is what we do   in secret. I repeat this point of reference only to make clear what is   obviously true.

 There  is no secret in life that has not been  disclosed. The secret law of  attraction is a false reality of a  conceptual manner. Life and its  higher precepts and purpose would never  be kept a secret by a God and  Father who adores and loves His creative  child. 

To  keep such a secret from His children would be the act of a  merciless  Father. A Father who condemned His children rather than watch  them grow  in faith beyond the limitations of their minds ability. 

The   song in a birds heart is a natural God created occurrence. So is   humanities ability to choose. Man can and often does expand his   abilities, with the help from the Holy Spirit as he grows in  confidence.  Like a bird who repeatedly pushes her young out of the nest  to teach  them to fly. What bird do you see that walks everywhere he  chooses to go  instead of flying there? 

A  bird can and does sometimes walk but it is  his natural nature to fly.  Once a bird learns of his ability to fly, he  also knows there is a life  of experience beyond his nest. Thus, he  chooses to experience life. So  it is with man who wonders from his  place.(8) 

He  is the sum total of his circumstance and experiences in  life, “unless”  he realizes the spiritual inspiration and significance  behind the sum  total of his life experiences. Then like a bird, he flies  naturally  with the course of the wind, or the path of the river, for he  knows his  journey is God ordained serving a higher purpose and plan. 

 Humanity  was created to be an extension of  God's love. Above the Angels, in  leadership and servitude to God  Himself, created in God's image as a  manifestation and representation of  God's love. A love so consuming and  encompassing that God himself took a  back seat to His own creation. He  became a mortal man named Jesus, to  save man from himself. 

It  is incomprehensible to think of God's love as  anything else. God loves  humanity and it's earthly kingdom. His earthly  kingdom is loved  because it is creation. Why does He love His creation?  

Because God is love!

 God  holds no secret. He holds no wayward path  of redemption. God only  holds love. Follow His heart of love,  compassion, grace and mercy, and  you follow His path to redemption.  Depart from that path and you  achieve man's view and opinion of success.  

What  is success without God?

 The answer to that question lies in the  seed  of any secret. A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man  gives  thought to his steps.(9) 

 The  heavens declare the glory of God; the  skies proclaim the work of His  hands. Day after day they pour forth  speech; night after night they  display knowledge. 

There  is no speech or  language where their voice is not heard. Their voice  goes out into all  the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In  the Heavens He has  pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a  bridegroom coming forth from  his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to  run his course. It rises at  one end of the Heavens and makes its  circuit to the other; nothing is  hidden from its heat. 

The  law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the  soul. The statues of the Lord  are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the Lord are  radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear  of the Lord is pure,  enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are  sure and altogether  righteous. They are more precious than gold, than  much pure gold, they  are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.  

By  them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.   (10) The path for your life and how you spend eternity was laid out   before you in Biblical Holy Scripture. It you choose another path, it  is  a path you choose.

• Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on
  human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.  
• Jeremiah 29:8-9 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among
  you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.  (9) They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,”  declares the Lord.  
• Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned “the secret” to
  being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (13) 
• I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” 

The  Secret Law Of Attraction both a book and  feature length Internet movie  release, is based on an age old secret,  said to be 4,000 years in the  making.

 In  ages past this secret law of  attraction was supposedly known by a  select few, but is now revealed to  the world. The law of attraction was  first brought into contemporary  21st century attention as Esther and  Jerry Hicks publicized the  teachings. Esther Hicks claims she channels  “her future self” named as  advanced entities called “ Abraham”. The  channeled manifestation of  “Abraham” has provided our world culture  with the foundational occult  message of the law of attraction. The jest  of the foundational message  in my opinion can be summed up as “what  you can believe, you can achieve  and thus receive!” 

The  so called “Abraham” entities channeled  through Esther Hicks (written  down by her husband Jerry), proclaim that  “you” create your own reality  and the universe is simply reflecting back  to you the essence of how  your feeling about it.

 Your  emotions provide  the compass or GPS (Global Positioning System), for  your life. On the  Hick's website “Abraham” states, “We're wanting you  to hear that there  is no risk at all! Fantasize and watch what  happens.”

Visualization  and fantasy are occult techniques  used by Shamans for thousands of  years. Often called the minds eye or  third eye by mystics, it is  activated by the use of your minds  imagination, visualizing what you  desire. 

The  third eye was alluded to  in the movie “The Secret” when the young man  of ages past touched the  female statue in between the eyes, creating a  burst of light or energy.  

It  is also used by sexual addicts who visualize and fantasize to   pornography, enforced by the anchoring and conditioning of masturbation   (reference article: “Foolish Pleasure – The Love Story Of A Sex  Addict,  His Betrayal, And Crime”, and “Addiction Definitions And  Hypothesis”).  Narcissistic, psychopathic serial killers visualize and  fantasize  habitually, before, during, and after committing their crimes  of horror.  Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, and Dennis Rader (BTK killer),  are three  infamous examples. 

We are to have faith in God and His word, not faith  in our ability to visualize our own self-centered, self-serving  desires.  

*

 Reference our website article: "Visualization, Positive Confession, Occult Methods Of Faith."

The  law of attraction teachings grew in  popularity after the website movie  premier, “The Secret,” (executive  producer Rhonda Byrne), promoted the  “Genie In The Bottle” philosophy.  

Jerry  and Esther Hicks were consulted by Byrne, and were to be included  in  the original movie. The Hicks were later informed by Byrne that the   original plans and format under contract had changed, at which time the   Hick's were paid for their involvement and the demon entity  “Abraham's”  input concerning the law of attraction and the new planned  Internet  movie, “The Secret” proceeded as Byrne planned. 

 The  attraction law is not new to humanity as  the ideas and ideals have  been touted within Gnostic philosophy for ages  past. Philosophical  mysticism is any philosophy that seeks to discover,  reveal, or tap into  the nature of reality through the process of  thought or spiritual  intuition. 

The  dualism Gnostic theory that there  are two distinct principles or Gods  of eternal and equal power at war  with each other is one most (if not  all), of humanity is aware of. In  epistemology these two principles are  idea and object, or thought and  thing. In metaphysics these two things  are mind and matter. In ethics,  they are good and evil or absolute  right and wrong. In religion, they  are called God and Satan, or good  and evil. In nature, they are called  light and darkness. 

The  early Gnostic's held this view of two Gods  in conflict in the universe  and that this conflict is generally fought  out in and among human  beings. 

This theory is contradictory to God's  revelation of Himself in  that He is clearly sovereign over all that  opposes Him. There is no  power equal to God. How can Satan, one of God's  creations be stronger,  more powerful or wiser than the creator Himself ?  

The  entire book of Job in Biblical Holy and inspired scripture shows  that  God indeed is sovereign over Satan and his attacks on humanities  mind,  spirit, soul and body. Satan must have God's permission to even  touch a  hair on one of His children's head ( Job 1:12). 

Mysticism  teaches that God is within.  Pantheism teaches creation is part of  God, and God is contained in  creation. Monism teaches man and the  universe are part of the same  universal energy or life force. 

Biblical  scripture teaches the only way  God can become a part of man is through salvation in Jesus Christ (John 3:16), by confessing and believing He is Lord (Romans 10:10), and accepting His free salvation gift (Romans 6:23). 

While  many within the metaphysical spiritual  realm claim they hear from God  (“ A Course In Miracles”, and  “Conversations With God are two  examples”), the voice or communication  is heard through practices God  calls detestable (Deuteronomy 18:12),  occult manifestations of mediums,  channeled spirits, guides, divination  or sorcery signs and wonders.  The messages given also contradict  Biblical Holy Scripture. 

“A  Course In Miracles” was inspirited by a  “voice” who claimed he was  Jesus, channeled by Jewish atheistic  psychologist Helen Schucman. The  “voice of Jesus” Schucman heard was  conversing with her to correct  errors in the Bible. “The Course” reality  manipulation includes denial  of sin, death, and even Jesus body. All is  and was an illusion  according to “The Course”. 

Neale  Donald Walsch  wrote the work “Conversations With God, Book 1: An  Uncommon Dialogue”,  sometimes referred to as “CwG”. His book (and many  thereafter),  according to Walsch on a Larry King Interview, came at a  low period in  his life when he wrote an angry letter to God asking  questions about why  his life wasn't working. He heard a “voice” state:  “Do you really want  an answer to all these questions or are you just  venting?” 

The  voice said such things as; there is only  God, and everything is God,  we lack nothing, and if we choose to realize  it, we have enough of  whatever we think we need, or the means to create  it. A few other  claims by Walsh, “And so you have created in your  mythology the being  you call devil”, there is no sin, or hell or place  of eternal  damnation, reincarnation is true, and “if you want to know  what's true  for you about something, look at how you're feeling about  it... hidden  in your deepest feelings is your highest truth.”

 Erroneous   error blaspheming the word of God. What do Schucman and Walsch have in   common? Their “God” is not the one true “God” as spoken of in Biblical   Holy Scripture. We are warned by God in his word to watch out that we   are not deceived. Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me on that day,   'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive   out demons and perform many miracles? (22) Then I will tell them   plainly, ' I never knew you. Away from me, you evil-doers!” 

As  for Christians who are ignorant of the word  of God, falling for such  blasphemous error... Paul states in Galatians  1:6-9, “I am astonished  that you are so quickly deserting the one who  called you by the grace  of Christ  and are turning to a different gospel – (7) which is really no gospel  at all. 

Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are  trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.   (8) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel  other  than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  (9) As  we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is  preaching to  you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be  eternally  condemned!”

There  are those within the Christian faith who  still hear from God. His  voice is proclaimed loud and clear throughout  the Holy Bible which is  His primary method of teaching (2nd Timothy  3:16-17). 

On  rare occasions He speaks to His children personally through  the power  of the Holy Spirit. After being raised according to Biblical  scripture  all my life, saturated by the Holy Bible in principal and  truth, what  goes in, is what naturally comes out! Therefore the wisdom  of God's  word, which is living and active, has become my inspirited  wisdom,  truth and understanding. The words within this written message  where  also derived from by a voice, “God's voice and letter to all of   humanity, The Holy Bible.” 

The words I have written automatically came   together dictated from within my spirit as inspired by the Holy Spirit.   With no preconceived knowledge or assessment of final thought's of   inspiration, this work literally wrote itself faster than my fingers   could type out the message.

Within  secular and occult traditions this is  termed as automatic writing. The  subjective difference is the Holy  Spirit inspires messages that lead  man back to God and His word for the  finial authority and answers to  their problems. 

Other  worldly message's  discounting the word of God, inspiring man to look  within himself as a  “God” (same temptation and deception as in the  garden of Eden, Genesis  3:5), for creativity, inspiration, guidance and  direction, or from  without at nature, animals, or a man made idol or  golden calf (Exodus  32), are inspirited by another “voice”. That voice  is a demonic entity  masquerading as Jesus Christ himself!

 “He  who begins by seeking God within himself  may end up by confusing  himself AS God” - B. B. Warfield, Biblical and  Theological Studies,  Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1952.  Inspired messages that  contradict God's word are not from God (John  1:1). 

To  be wise according to God is to put his word into practice  (Matthew  7:24). You have to know the fruit of God's word in order to   differentiate His wise truth from deceptive erroneous error (John 15).   Matthew 7:15-16, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in   sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (16) By their   fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn  bushes,  or figs from thistles?” So hear my “voice”...what kind of fruit  cake are  you listening to?”

 _______________________

21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGY CAN MIMIC THE VOICE OF GOD (V2K):

World  wide there are now thousands upon thousands of targeted Individuals  (TI's), as witnesses who testify of hearing voices.  One has to  discerning, and ask, "Could many of these downloaded, seemingly channeled voices be  technological in nature, in order to deceive?"  

Yes,  they can!   So instead of having "conversations with God",  one can be having conversations with the likes of an end age, last days, Anti-Christ beast AI system of vast deception and control.  Visit: www..techchronicity.com , to learn more about such evil New World Order plans and agendas.  And take note that the  New Age-New World Order movement is empowered by the demonic, both fallen Angel and their like and fallen human consorts.  As both are coupled in joint accord with the dark side. 

 As such, discerning  the voice of God in these present days and zeitgeist culture age is of prime importance! - (Mark 13:5).  Cling to Biblical insight and instruction for it is the only voice and word of reason God lay claim that is holy and divinely true  (Proverbs 30:5-6).  To dismiss God's  word is to dismiss  God's voice.  To  dismiss God's voice, is to dismiss God Himself (John 1:1).

* FOR  YOUR  SPIRITUAL AND EDUCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE, I SUGGEST THIS  ADDITIONAL LINK  ARTICLE ON THE SECRET LAW OF ATTRACTION AS IT PERTAINS  TO GOD'S WORD:

http://www.thebereancall.org

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SYNTHIA ESTHER MINISTRIES ALSO PROVIDES FREE BIBLBICAL RESOURCES REGARDING RELIGION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDUCTIONS AND CURRENT EVOLUTIONARY POWER OF THE AIR CONSTRUCTED AI ALGORITHEM ANTICHRIST INFLUENCESES:

Synthia Esther was the first Christian outreach to shout the true wake-up alarm concerning this diabolical, demonic,11:11 fake awakening deception (www.sacredpursuit.org) .   If you desire to learn more about such science and technological insights in relationship to biblical tend times prophecies, please visit: www.techchronicity.com - Science and Technology induced Oneness Antichrists Doctrines and the New World Order.  

Synthia Esther Ministries:  WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.COM - WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.ORG,WWW.SYNTHIAESTHER.NET,  WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.COM, WWW.SACREDPURSUIT.ORG, WWW.SEXHISWAY.COM, WWW.XXXHISWAY.COM, WWW.TECHCHRONICITY.COM, -  AS WELL AS MANY OTHER FREE ONLINE RESOURCES.

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