From: Suzianty Herawati
"My beloved." --Song of Solomon 2:8
This was a golden name which the ancient Church in her most joyous moments
was wont to give to the Anointed of the Lord.
When the time of the singing of birds was come, and the voice of the turtle was
heard in her land, her love-note was sweeter than either, as she sang, "My
beloved is mine and I am His: He feedeth among the lilies." Ever in her song of
songs doth she call Him by that delightful name, "My beloved!" Even in the long
winter, when idolatry had withered the garden of the Lord, her prophets found
space to lay aside the burden of the Lord for a
little season, and to say, as Esaias did, "Now will I sing to my well-belo ved
a song of my beloved touching His vineyard." Though the saints had never seen
His face, though as yet He was not made flesh, nor had dwelt among us, nor had
man beheld His glory, yet He was the consolation of Israel, the hope and joy of
all the chosen, the "beloved" of all those who were upright before the Most
High. We, in the summer days of the Church, are also wont to speak of Christ as
the best beloved of our soul, and to feel that He is very precious, the
"chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely."
So true is it that the Church loves Jesus, and claims Him as her beloved, that
the
apostle dares to defy the whole universe to separate her from the love of
Christ, and declares that neither persecutions, distress, affliction, peril, or
the sword have been able to do it; nay, he joyously boasts, "In all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."
O that we knew more of Thee, Thou ever precious one!
My sole possession is Thy love;
In earth beneath, or heaven above,
I have no other store;
And though with fervent suit I pray,
And importune Thee day by day,
I ask Thee nothing more.
CH Spurgeon
============================================
From: Suzianty Herawati
"Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins."
--Psalm 19:13
Such was the prayer of the "man after God's own heart." Did holy David need
to pray thus? How needful, then, must such a prayer be for us babes in grace!
It is as if he said, "Keep me back, or I shall rush headlong over the precipice
of sin." Our evil nature, like an ill-tempered horse, is apt to run away. May
the grace of God put the bridle upon it, and hold it in, that it rush not into
mischief. What might not the best of us do if it were not for the checks which
the Lord sets upon us both in providence and in grace! The psalmist's prayer is
directed aga inst the worst form of sin--that which is done with deliberation
and wilfulness. Even the holiest need to be "kept back" from the vilest
transgressions. It is a solemn thing to find the apostle Paul warning saints
against the most loathsome sins. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon
the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry." What! do
saints want warning against such sins as these? Yes, they do.
The whitest robes, unless their purity be preserved by divine grace, will be
defiled by the blackest spots. Experienced Christian, boast not in your
experience; you will trip yet if
you look away from Him who is able to keep you from falling. Ye whose love is
fervent, whose faith is constant, whose hopes are bright, say not, "We shall
never sin," but rather cry, "Lead us not into temptation." There is enough
tinder in the heart of the best of men to light a fire that shall burn to the
lowest hell, unless God shall quench the sparks as they fall. Who would have
dreamed that righteous Lot could be found drunken, and committing uncleanness?
Hazael said, "Is Thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" and we are
very apt to use the same self-righteous question. May infinite wisdom cure us
of the madness of self-confidence.
CH Spurgeon
=========================================================
From: Suryadi Wijaya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuro-linguistic_programming
Here is a brief article that may help:
Mind Control in the 1990's: Neuro-Linguistic Programming
In recent years, several New Age groups have entered the realm of the business
world under various guises. One of the most widespread is Neuro-Linguistic
Programming (NLP). This organization is very prevalent among the medical and
legal professions.
According to the Seminars and Certification Trainings manual, produced by NLP,
"Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a practical application of how people think.
Described as `software for your brain,' NLP allows you to automatically tap
into the kind of experiences you want to have," (p. 1).
Keeping this relatively simple and unassuming definition in mind, the following
information will demonstrate why NLP should be classified as a New Age
philosophy.
Influential Sources
"In the early 1970's Dr. Richard Bandler and Dr. John Grinder through careful
study of acknowledged masters of communication and change such as Drs. Milton
Erickson, Virginia Satir, George Bateson and Fritz Perls, discovered what made
these individuals so effective and in the process developed the field of
Neuro-Linguistic Programming," (The New Age Catalogue, 1988 ed., p. 85).
One of the models for NLP was Dr. Milton Erickson who heads the Milton Erickson
Foundation in Phoenix, Arizona.
This man was the founder of the technique known as Ericksonian Hypnosis.
In this type of hypnosis, Erickson teaches the students how to, "communicate
with the whole person by utilizing conscious and unconscious levels. Dr.
Erickson also taught us (his pupils) how to utilize and bypass client
resistance by embedding therapeutic interventions in seemingly casual
conversation," (Ibid; emphasis mine).
These technique, which the NLP freely admits adopting to its purposes, are the
same processes that Radio Stations once used and Television Stations are still
allowed to use.
That is, Subliminal Messages, or the act of tapping into the unconscious mind
apart from the persons conscious knowledge. This act of "planting" an idea in
someone's unconscious mind is both unethical and unbiblical.
The example for Christians should be that of Jesus Christ who said "I spake
openly to the world; I even taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither
the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me?
ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I
said," (John 18:20-21).
Another of the NLP's primary role models was Fritz Perls. Dr. Perls has a long
career of New Age teachings.
In 1961 Michael Murphy and Richard Price opened a new residential community
which came to be known as Esalen.
Located in California's Big Sur area, Esalen "helped mid-wife much of what came
to be known as the human-potential movement. Seminar leaders in Esalen's first
three years included Gerald Heard, Alan Watts, Arnold Toynbee, Linus Pauling,
Norman O. Brown, Carl Rogers, Paul Tillich, Rollo May, and a young graduate
student named Carlos Castaneda," (The Aquarian Conspiracy, p. 137; emphasis
mine).
It was here at Esalen that "...Fritz Perls came to live..." in the 1960's. This
new community, of which Perls was a part, was "...seeking ways the insights of
this new human-potential movement could be applied to the larger society,"
(Ibid, p. 139).
Thus the very foundation for Bandler and Grinder's NLP is based in the New Age
motif. However, it can be argued that because a group has its origins in a
non-Christian movement, that does not, by necessity, cause the new group to be
non-Christian also.
For that reason, it is categorically imperative that the practices and
teachings of the new group be equally scrutinized.
Advertising Policy
Much insight can be quickly gained by the advertizing policies a group
maintains.
That is, where does the group advertize its product? For reasons which are
obvious, few Christian bookstores carry Anthon LeVey's Satanic Bible.
By the same line of reasoning, few bookstores which specialize in the Occult,
stock the Holy Bible. Advertisers and publishers will always target the most
receptive audience.
If a determination can be made as to the characteristics of a group by where
they place their advertizing dollar, and with what other advertisers they
associate, then it becomes critical that NLP's policies be observed.
In the January/February 1989 issue of the New Age Journal, the NLP printed the
following Box Ad: "REACH YOUR POTENTIAL - NLP is a method for enhancing human
development and creating change gracefully. Discover effective tools for the
New Age," (p. 96; emphasis mine).
In another periodical which caters to a large extent to New Age promotion, this
ad appeared:
"NLP - The Magic of Communication. Through pre¬sentation, demonstration, games
and exercises, you will learn how to... Learn the `magic' of personal power,"
(Fun Ed, Fall 1989, p. 15).
In the same magazine are ads for Tarot Card readings, Yoga, Palm Reading and
Developing Your Psychic Powers.
Few advertisers who honestly attempt to sell a product will target an audience
they feel will not be receptive.
NLP Doctrine
Up to this point the historical influences and groups with which the NLP
associates have been discussed. It is now time to allow the publication of the
NLP to speak for itself. The following quotes are taken from the Seminars and
Certification Trainings (Fall 1989-1990 Spring) manual.
In the Master Practitioner Training, "You will learn: Submodality Patterns
(such as) Change core beliefs.... Rapidly re-imprint formative experiences...,"
(p. 5).
While there is nothing inherently wrong with the act of changing a core belief,
it is the process whereby that belief is changed that must be called into
question.
Every person who has become a Christian has had their core beliefs changed. For
contrary to Man's natural belief, is the recognition that Man is a sinner,
separated from God, and deserving of nothing but death (Romans 3:23, 6:23).
In an NLP 6-day Advanced Andreas Intensive one learns "...of guilt and shame,
and how to change them easily and elegantly into positive resources that
enhance self-esteem," (p. 6).
It must be pointed out that while guilt and shame in the form of
self-recrimination can be taken to a dangerous extreme, they do serve a
valuable emotional and theological purpose.
Throughout the Bible these and other emotions are said to be ways in which God
draws Man unto Himself. These are used to exhibit Man's depravity and God's
righteousness. To reinterpret, minimize or dismiss entirely these emotions are
to tamper with God's creation and His purpose for our lives. (John 16:8-11,
Acts 2:37-40 and Romans 2:14-15).
In a seven-part VHS series, Tape #4, Perceptual Grids, the NLP teaches how a
"Trance... can make old problem behaviors seem unfamiliar and ridiculous, and
refocus attention on desired outcomes," (p. 8).
The act of entering a trance is accomplished by shutting down the conscious
mind and allowing the unconscious or sub-conscious mind to take over.
This action is a very dangerous process. For it is at this open moment that the
defense system, the conscious mind, which God created in Man, is turned off.
As Dick Sutphen, expert in Subliminal programing has explained, if a suggestion
or command is given during this time, "...the suggestions are not challenged by
your conscious mind, they are accepted by your subconscious, which begins to
create the circumstance necessary to change your life so it will match your new
beliefs," (Body Mind Spirit, May/June 1989, p. 41).
Both Sutphen and the periodical Body Mind Spirit are pro-New Age.
Finally under the heading Who Takes NLP Training?, the following information is
found:
"People taking NLP training often report unanticipated desirable changes in
themselves and their abilities from participating in the various exercises that
make up more than a third of trainings. They describe improving their ability
to learn and developing new levels of awareness.
"The benefits of NLP are being able to tap your own undeveloped potential and
being able to respectfully learn the skill and talents of others. We are on the
threshold of a quantum leap in human capacities, with no end in sight," (p. 14;
emphasis mine).
Contrary to NLP's claims, Man has only one potential. That potential is to sin
and it is that sinful nature which sent the Son of God to the cross. With
reference to a new level of awareness, Man only reaches a new plateau by
casting all his trust on the one who can forgive sin, our mediator between God
the Father and Man -- Christ Jesus. (Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:8-10, 1 Timothy
2:5).
To anyone who has ever read either a Christian book, maga¬zine or article on
the Pantheistic nature of the New Age, all of these statements found in one of
NLP's official publications rings true to the New Age Philosophy.
Conclusion
One final argument against the claims of the NLP, interestingly enough, does
not come from a Biblical perspective. Rather, it comes from a government study
completed by the U.S. Army.
The study, conducted by the National Research Council (NRC), completed in 1988,
and entitled Enhancing Human Performance, under the commission of the U.S.
Army, examined the claims of the NLP.
"The NRC researchers checked out other frontiers of human potential as well,
including accelerated learning, biofeedback, and neuro-linguistic programming
(NLP). NLP which postulates connection between behavior and neurology and
claims to train students to `read' others by noting their eye position and
choice of language, was also dismissed as having a social rather than a
neurological basis," (The Fringes of Reason, A Whole Earth Catalog: A Field
Guide to New Age Frontiers, Unusual Beliefs & Eccentric Sciences, 1989 ed., p.
196).
