VOL. XVIII  NO. 8    NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM    April 15, 2001

MOON'S 'TRUTH' IS FALSE—Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon says America has been in decline since the end of World War II “because they didn't recognize the truth that was brought to them by Rev. Moon.” He claims to share “the ultimate truth, directly from God.” (3/19 C. News). He calls his 46-state speaking tour his gift to America. He calls himself a third Adam sent to complete the task of restoring God's kingdom on Earth that Jesus failed in due to his crucifixion.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD HEALTH PLAN ACCUSED—The Christian Brotherhood Newsletter, billed as a “proven and biblical method for Christians to share one another's medical bills without using insurance of any kind,” is being sued by Ohio for fraud and conversion of ministry funds and property to private use (4/2 Chr. Today). It now operates in all 50 states.

TURNER CALLS CNN CATHOLICS 'JESUS FREAKS'—Billionaire media mogul, founder of CNN, Ted Turner last month called Catholic staffers marked with Ash Wednesday ashes on their foreheads “Jesus freaks.” (3/19 USN&WR). A globalist United Nations supporter, Turner has also called Christianity “a religion for losers.” 

NEW EXCELLENT BOOK ON ALPHA—We have had several articles warning of the dangerous Alpha Course which is sweeping the globe. It has seen explosive growth. Those who have attended the Course are said to number in the millions. Liberal and charismatic churches in our city have featured it. Alpha's home church, Holy Trinity Brompton, is in England. Its leader is Nicky Gumbel. Elizabeth McDonald has a new book, Alpha, the Unofficial Guide, Overview, which offers the best and most extensive coverage we have seen. This book shows the extent to which Alpha supports Rome and her dogmas, the influence Word-Faith doctrines (by Hagin, Copeland, and Hinn) and the Toronto Blessing (laughing revival) has on Alpha. It shows that Alpha, Toronto, and Pensacola manifestations are the same as those seen in the Eastern mystic practice of Kundalini yoga and the New Age movement. The Roman Catholic Church enjoys unqualified support throughout the Alpha Course. It is referred to more frequently and more positively (in “many glowing references”) than any other institution. Rome officially endorses Alpha and uses it to recruit. Alpha is correct in its claim to be “a bridge” between the church and the world. This 140-page book can be ordered from: St. Matthew Publishing, 24 Geldart St., Cambridge, CB1 2LX, UK. The price is $9 postpaid (air mail). E-mail address is: PF.SMP@dial.pipex.com

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT—Author David W. Cloud comments: “To our knowledge, this 450-page book is the most extensive examination of Contemporary Christian Music in print. It features: A definition of Contemporary Christian Music. The spiteful anti-fundamentalist attitude which permeates CCM. The intimate connection between end-time apostasy and CCM. Southern gospel yesterday and today. The love affair between CCM musicians and secular rock music. The ecumenism of CCM. The close association of CCM with Roman Catholicism. The intimate connection between CCM and the Charismatic Movement. An encyclopedia of 200 CCM musicians [with] profiles of their lives and ministries, church affiliations, philosophies, ecumenical associations, music, etc. Documentation proving that CCM is owned largely by secular corporations. Lyrics to CCM songs illustrating the vagueness and heresy of their message. Twenty-three key CCM arguments answered (we must use rock music to win young people, music is neutral, people are getting saved, God doesn't look on the outward appearance, Luther used tavern music, God created all music, Christians are not to judge, etc.). Careful documentation of every fact presented. How to keep CCM out of churches. Where Christians should draw the line with music. The book has a list of Suggested Resources on Music, listing sources for sound Christian music, hymnals, resources for song leading, and materials for further reading on the topic of CCM. There is also an extensive bibliography on the subject of Christian music. 450 7X8 pages…$19.95 + $10% S/H.” Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866/295-4143 (toll free), E-mail: fbns@wayoflife.org Web site: http://wayoflife.org/~dcloud 

FALWELL MAKES MUSLIMS MAD—A Muslim group is demanding an apology from Jerry Falwell for remarks he made to a religious Web site where he said “the Muslim faith teaches hate” and Muslims should be ineligible to receive government funds for social programs. He said Islam is intolerant of other religions and Muslims “should be out the door before they knock” and ask for federal funds (3/19 Chr. News). He added, “the Islam religion, wherever it has majority control…doesn't even allow people of other faiths to express themselves or evangelize or to exist in their presence.” That is right, Dr. Falwell.

HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST IS PRES. OF CALIF. COUNCIL OF CHURCHES—Gwynne Guibord, ecumenical officer of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (a homosexual denom), has been elected president of the California Council of Churches.

SBC ENDS TALKS WITH ROME FOR NOW—The Southern Baptist Convention is halting 30 years of doctrinal talks with U.S. Roman Catholics. Though the 1994 SBC meeting endorsed talks with the Catholics, Rev. Philip Roberts, president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary says “many Southern Baptists became suspicious of these discussions.” Dr. Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School, and like Roberts a participant in the talks on the Baptist side, noted that a small faction of Baptists had “a strong and somewhat strident reaction against this.” George said, "Ecumenism is not a high priority for most Southern Baptists.” In the letter terminating discussions with the Catholics, Southern Baptists said they would “not rule out the possibility of future meetings." This is not expected to affect local ecumenical relations (3/31 HT). Huntsville's First Baptist Church (and others) has been involved in several projects with local Roman Catholic churches.

LARNELLE HARRIS' MUSIC—An e-mail writer has somewhat distorted the CC editor's reference to Larnelle Harris as a “'funky gospel/CCM/rock' singer” in the 4/1 GARBC article. This brief reference to Harris' music was tangential to the thrust of the article so I lumped, in a single quote, the 4-word characterization which others (not Fundamentalists, but rather New Evangelicals) had made regarding him. A 12/88 Moody Monthly review said one of Harris' songs had an "unexpected funky gospel sound." A 5/88 Eternity review termed one of his songs as "foot-stomping rock." Another reviewer (5/14/93 HT) said: "The arrangements Harris used for his songs run the gamut: funky gospel...." These were not my words, and others have classified his music as “inspirational,” “easy listening,” etc. But some might say there is some of all the above in his music over the years, taken as a whole, and might classify some of it in the broad genre of “soft rock.” Slashes are commonly used to denote “and/or.” The slashes I used in the article in the above 4-word quote were used this way. It would be reckless and wrong to pounce on a single one of those terms and to say it represented my view. Not being familiar enough with Harris' music to give it my own categorization, I used a varied spectrum of friendly-to-him sources. 

ROME'S NEW ECUMENICAL OFFICER—Pope John Paul II has appointed Cardinal Walter Kasper to head the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, replacing Cardinal Edward Cassidy (Foundation). As a progressive in the Catholic hierarchy, he has served as an assistant to controversial theologian Hans Kung, and later sat on the World Council of Churches' Faith and Order Commission. He is praised by WCC head Konrad Raiser and Lutheran World Federation chief Ishmael Noko. 

SEXUAL ABUSE OF NUNS BY PRIESTS—The Vatican has confirmed it is acting on allegations that some priests, mainly Africans afraid of contracting AIDS from prostitutes, have regularly forced nuns to have sex with them (3/26 Chr. News). In some instances, priests are said to have impregnated nuns and then forced them to have abortions. A nun charged that when a mother superior complained to the local bishop that 29 of her nuns were pregnant, the bishop replaced her instead of acting on the problem. Rome's unscriptural “forbidding to marry” (see I Tim. 4:3) teaching invites such sexual abuse. 

POPE'S NEW CULTURAL CENTER—A new $65 million Pope John Paul II Cultural Center opened last month in Washington (3/24 Houston Chron.). The 100,000-sq.-ft. facility has a museum and a Gallery of Mary which unites images of Mary from different cultures. The pope's veneration of the Virgin Mary is echoed throughout the center. 

NRB WITHDRAWS FROM NAE, ACCEPTS ADVENTISTS; NAE ACCEPTS DUAL CHURCH TIES WITH LIBERAL NCC—What goes here? Last year, under its new pro-charismatic president (Kevin Mannoia), the NAE decided to allow NCC denominations to hold dual membership in the NAE. Then the NRB board this year voted to split from the NAE, citing the NAE's new coziness with the NCC. It said the NAE and NRB are headed in different directions. So which is becoming broader, compromising more? NAE, maybe? But wait. In an ironic twist, NRB board member Dave Clark says: “Our membership is becoming broader than the NAE's. We now admit Seventh-day Adventists….” (3/10 World) SDA is a cult (see 2/15/98 CC). We defend Dr. Laura against intolerant homosexuals, but she—who is a scheduled guest speaker at the 4/15 NRB Media Breakfast—converted to Orthodox Judaism. So she does not accept our Lord Jesus Christ as God, and thus cannot honor God the Father (Jn. 5:23). Yet the NRB presented her with its Chairman's Award last year.

JOYNER A FALSE PROPHET—Rick Joyner is said by many charismatics to be a New Testament prophet who claims to receive regular messages from God. Critics question the validity of his mystical experiences, say his writings border on gnosticism, and are troubled by his association with the Knights of Malta (4/01 Charisma). When someone makes a prediction in the name of the Lord and it doesn't happen, he is revealed as a false prophet (Deut. 18:22). Joyner and a ministry colleague predicted on New Year's Eve 1997 that disasters would strike Southern California within nine months. Several warnings were given, with allusions to terrorist attacks and a huge earthquake. Fear swept through charismatic churches in So. California. But nothing happened. Extra-biblical revelation leaves charismatics open for deception.

SHERMAN LIBERALISM—The 8/5/83 Christianity Today quoted Dr. Cecil Sherman, then a So. Baptist pastor, later the first national Coordinator of the moderate-liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and currently teaching at the liberal Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Va., said: “A teacher who might also be led by Scripture not to believe in the Virgin Birth should not be fired….It [the Virgin Birth] is in two Gospels, but not in two others….Did Mark and John make a mistake by forgetting to list it? If the Virgin Birth is desperately important, [Mark and John] must have erred.” (3/01 Baptist Banner)

CHURCHES ARE LEAVING UCC—Many churches are leaving the United Church of Christ and other liberal denominations. From 1996-1999, 131 churches left the UCC—and a third since the 1960s (3/12 CC). Reasons? The UCC officially supports abortion, allows practicing homosexuals to serve as pastors, attacks the authority and inerrancy of the Bible and promotes theological liberalism. 

CAN YOU GO TO JESUS THROUGH MARY is the title of a new 24-page booklet by Evang. Paul Freeman. It is a critique of the book “The Glories of Mary” by Bishop Alphonsus de Liguori of Rome. It answers Rome's false claims about Mary with Scripture. Get it from the author at: 1920 Verbena St., Pekin, IL 61554, $1.50 postpaid.

THE CHANGING FACE OF CHRISTIANITY is the title of a new 11-page booklet by Dr. Jim Fields. The subtitle is “The Flight From Doctrine.” He gives a brief summary of today's theologies and methodologies, anchored in 17th and 18th centuries' man-centered philosophies, and shows how churches today have developed a pragmatic spirit. Get this book from publisher, American Council of Christian Churches, P.O. Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Offering appreciated, for printing and postage. 

Send comments to ccemail2015@gmail.com

Calvary Contender Home Page