I cannot argue with what you can say...I only know the changes I experienced that were at least partly due to reading Peck which put me into a position to look outside myself. And here I am.
At the time I read his book, I did not consider him a Christian. Or even a Buddhist, or anything. I considered him a psychologist. Nothing more, nothing less. I attributed no magical or mystcal qualities to his writings. To me he was a man, trained in psychology, that had an interesting perspective on life that helped me to formulate a world view at the time when I most needed a change in world view. While it was not the ideal Christian world view, it was far better than my previous world view. Both were secular, one was destructive, one was constructive. Whether it was God nudging me in this direction I do not know, and it really does not matter...what matters is that it was step 1 in my path to salvation. How can you argue with that? Rather than wallow in my secular journey as an adversary, can you celebrate with me in my spiritual awakewning, belief, and salvation?
There is much more to my story than just reading Scott Peck. It was not the only, and not even the greatest influence going on in my life at the time.
Perry
From: Judy Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [TruthTalk] M Scott Peck a Christian LOL (Perry) Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 07:04:06 -0500
For Perry.... I am so glad to hear that M. Scott Peck was of some assistance to you when you were a seeker. Yours is a perfect example of what Bill and I were trying to discuss before we were interrupted: that all Truth is of God, and therefore beneficial to those who are willing to hear it. True Perry, all TRUTH is of God only what M. Scott Peck writes is not truth, at best it is mixture of some natural observation and some deception. He is not walking in truth himself so how would he be equipped to lead others in the right direction? That doesn't even make logical sense. The Lord has not just given all truth to Christians, or to Christians who have the �right� doctrine, or Christians who have the �right� doctrine plus perfect lives. Not all Christians are walking in all truth but to say that God allows fallen unregenerate man to find the part of God's revelation the Church is missing denies the scriptural truth of the fall in Genesis along with the fact that God�s truth is foolishness to the natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14) To ignore truth from non-Christians is to me a lack of faith in God�s Omnipotence. He is Big enough to speak through a donkey, and certainly through any human with an open, inquisitive mind. An unrenewed open and inquisitive mind can learn some things about the natural order (like electricity) and God rains on both just and unjust in temporally but God Himself has never been known by the pagan nations. He reveals Himself to His covenant people and this is who receive the secret of the Lord. That�s what astounded me by Peck�s book �The Road Less Traveled�. He wasn�t even a Believer, yet it was so full of amazing common sense and practical wisdom that anyone could understand. Things like �Love is hard work.� Don�t think you �love� someone if you aren�t willing to do the work that it requires, like spending time with them, etc. What was it that spoke to you at the time? All natural; it's not so surprising, the wisdom of this world makes sense to us when this is where we are walking ourselves; but let�s call it what it is rather than call evil good and deceive ourselves. My favorite book, by far, of Peck�s is �The People of the Lie�. Did you read that one? In it he says that he believes that psychiatry should have a diagnosis of �evil�, and he spends the book describing his encounters with �evil� people who were his patients, and his experiences with attending actual exorcisms. Natural observation only. If Peck had read Ephesians 2 he would know that everyone is �of the lie� until they repent, receive Christ, and learn to walk after the spirit. �And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (evil), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Eph 2:1-3) Why look to a dead man to try and receive Words of Life?" His explanation of how to diagnose and comprehend the behavior of evil people was EXTREMELY helpful to my husband and me when we were dealing with a nightmare situation of slander against him. It helped us gain perspective when we were reeling with the emotions one goes through at a time like that. And it has helped us strive for forgiveness by understanding that �they know not what they do� when evil people �project� their own self-hatred onto their victims. Why label the people? We don�t war against flesh and blood. It is what is working in them that is evil and if we are not walking circumspectly the same spirit will have access to and use us to be an oracle for satan in this earth also. Whether Peck is a Christian today is only God�s decision; who of us can look inside another�s heart? He is definitely under RCC persuasion, and is influenced by a whole lot of his past life (aren�t we all?). He also still clings to non-Biblical beliefs in a lot of areas. But he claims to have had a definite conversion from paganism to a love of Jesus Christ, and I accept his statement at face value. It�s Peck�s decision; possibly the Holy Spirit has not drawn him to Jesus, in which case he should not be followed as a prophet of God. Blaine and DaveH are in the same category; they probably don�t hold on to any more outrageous extra Biblical stuff than Peck especially since Peck is now indwelt by these �good evil spirits� Why go to the witch of Endor for wisdom and counsel? One doesn�t grow to perfection in a day�it is a process that goes beyond our lives on this earth, in fact. However, I notice that the Peck books that we have in our library do not sit in the �Christian� section, but in the philosophy section. He is no theologian. �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� (Col 2:8) My personal philosophy is that where you are on the spiritual spectrum is not nearly as important as which direction you are heading. Are you heading towards Jesus, or towards darkness? The ones who think they have �arrived� are often the most dark of all. You can read about them in �The People of the Lie�. �Verily, verily I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbs up some other way the same is a thief and a robber� (John 10:1)
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