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SHAPING A NEW CIVILIZATION
PART 1

 

 

By Berit Kjos

November 25, 2007

NewsWithViews.com

MYSTICISM & GLOBAL MIND CHANGE

"A re-spiritualization of society is taking place...."[1] New Age futurist Willis Harman, speaking at the "evangelical" Consultation below.

"Part of our reason for meeting in this conference is to re-examine our storehouse of images of the future.... Is it necessary for us to limit the evangelical image of the future...?"[2, page 31] Leighton Ford, Billy Graham's brother-in-law, addressing an "evangelical" Consultation on the Future.

"The world is undergoing an extraordinary revolution, an intellectual rebellion against the exclusionary belief structure that has dominated Western thought for centuries..."[3] Willis Harman, "Global Mind Change"

Do you wonder why yoga, labyrinths and other meditational practices have suddenly emerged in churches across America? Or why "Christians" now use the old occult formulas practiced by sorcerers, alchemists and "enlightened" yogis (a combination of concentration, meditation, visualization and mental projection) to invoke the presence of "God"?

This East-West synthesis didn't happen by chance. For several decades, influential church leaders have been promoting a "new way of thinking," a more experiential religion, an end to "separatism," and an inclusive oneness that would fulfill their vision of an earthly "Kingdom of God."

The hidden seeds of this unholy transformation began sprouting about five decades ago. In an article titled "The Higher Self Gets Down To Business," Christianity Today credits Willis Harman, a former Stanford Professor and management guru with the occult revival:

"The esoteric use of ordinary words like self-actualization, intuition, and visualization in the New Business spirituality cannot be appreciated without considering their role in the cosmic scheme of the movement's unofficial father: metaphysical futurist Willis Harman.

"Harman, who died in 1997, founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences and helped start the World Business Academy. Noetic comes from the Greek word for intuitive knowing. Intuition was no mere 'gut feeling' for Harman, but the very means of connecting to the one Universal Mind. Nor was visualization merely a means of clarifying goals, but of altering material reality."[4]

Instead of opposing this spiritual revolution, pastors and leadership gurus have been driving it -- and training others to do the same. Those who resist it are unjustly labeled fearful, divisive and -- worst of all -- fundamentalist! As Rick Warren said, "...Christian fundamentalism, Jewish fundamentalism, secular fundamentalism - they're all motivated by fear. Fear of each other."[5]

"People are threatened by change," wrote Willis Harman who, in spite of his New Age/Theosophical views, had been invited to speak at an "evangelical" Consultation on the Future back in 1979. "The prospect that 'truths' they have known all their lives might be superseded by some other beliefs can be especially threatening. Thus there is a tendency to 'fight back' -- to actively oppose the change."[3, Foreword]

THE NEO-EVANGELICAL "CONSULTATION ON THE FUTURE"

Actually, it takes courage, not fear, to stand alone against such pressures to conform! The evangelical leaders who participated in that Consultation almost three decades ago showed no such boldness. The conference transcripts suggest that they valued "common ground" more than Biblical integrity.

These strategists included Leighton Ford (Vice President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Honorary Life Chairman of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization), Howard Hendricks (Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and Chairman of The Center for Christian Leadership), Dr. Gene A. Getz (pastor and author), Dr. Ralph Winter (founder of U.S. Center for World Mission) and many others.

These high profile pastors and presenters simply listened, dialogued and accepted Dr. Harman's disturbing views of occult experience and evolving oneness. Notice his promotion of a mystical form of universalism:

"...the ultimate goals of all societies that ever existed have come from the profound inner experiences of some group of people � religious leaders, prophets, mystics, poet-philosophers, or -- in some visionary cultures -- the majority of the adult population....

"Survey data indicate a significant cultural shift in the direction of more interest in spiritual and psychic matters.... The growing suspicion is that traditional religion and conventional science alike are both partial and flawed, and due to be superseded by a more unified view of reality."[6]

"Remarkably, Willis Harman was able to proclaim an alternative Luciferian future to evangelical leaders without any significant resistance," states Herescope, a respected discernment ministry. "This is because potential debate at the 1979 Consultation on 'Future Evangelical Concerns' was stifled." True to the dialectic process, "the format of the Consultation was orchestrated in such a manner that no contrary opinions were permitted."

"...the Consultation was broken down into six sessions of 'Addresses and Responses.'... The Preface [2, transcripts] states that 'contrary to the 1977 format, responders had been instructed to summarize and capsulize the assigned paper rather than debate the issues raised.' In other words, the presentations � some of them very controversial and heretical � were not to be challenged! Some responders merely 'urged cautions.'''[7]

According to Herescope, "one of the stated purposes of the Consultations was to integrate Harman's alternative eschatology with evangelical eschatology. Consultation presenter E.V. Newland, proposed creating an 'imaginative hybrid' of eschatology based on Harman's models." He said,

"Well, what then could be a transformed society? We are very impressed. We have links with people who are looking at these areas, sadly perhaps only from the secular groups or the academia. We are not yet in touch with theological colleges. We have established in that way contact with people who are thinking about a transformed society and they are exemplified by the Stanford Research Institute where there is a little group that's called the Social Science Research Unit and it's led by... Willis Harmon [sic].... The California school feels that the next 30 years or hundred years is going to be a period in which we'll restore this balance of inward man and outward man."[2, pp 81-83]

Herescope asks -- and concludes,

"Is it possible that this event marked the beginning of the public phase of the integration of Theosophy with Christianity? Indeed it seems so, when one reads the proposals made by Willis Harman to integrate the psychic into Christianity to create a new synthesized 'truth.'"[8]


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"The seeds of Theosophic syncretism were planted when Willis Harman's address to evangelical leaders in 1979 was not challenged. It began to produce recognizable fruit by 1991 in the work by Leonard Sweet. And it has now come to full fruit in neo-evangelicalism today."[9]

To crush Christian resistance to this deception, globalist visionaries both inside and outside churches are using a growing arsenal of psycho-social tactics. One of the more visible strategies for mass transformation is the seductive marketing of mystical practices and occult philosophies through books like Leonard Sweet's Soul Tsunami and Marjorie Thompson's Soul Feast.

Less visible but just as effective are the large leadership conferences that gather Christian pastors and leaders, train them in a social context that normalizes "systems thinking" and facilitated dialogue, then sends them out as change agents -- missionaries for a new world order, determined to transform both church and world.

THE RE-THINK CONFERENCE

Scheduled for January 2008, the upcoming Re-think Conference shows the latest phase of this unholy quest for unity in diversity. Considering its team of speakers, it will surely encourage more dialogue, compromise, and fuzzy convictions. Visionaries will establish new norms for "positive thinking" and feel-good relationships while closing the door to the old "divisive" truths.

The list of speakers could hardly be more diverse -- or influential:

  • Robert Schuller (co-host). Founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral.
  • Erwin McManus (co-host). Lead pastor and "Cultural Architect" of Mosaic and author of The Barbarian Way -- "whose primary focus is to serve the post-modern, post-Western, and post-Christian world."
  • Rupert Murdoch. The controlling shareholder and chairman of News Corporation.
  • Kay Warren. Wife of Pastor Rick Warren.
  • Larry King. Internationally-known broadcaster and author.
  • Lee Strobel. Author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith.
  • Chuck Colson. Founder of Prison Fellowship.
  • George Barna. Founder of the Barna Group and Good News Holdings. Author of Revolution, Think Like Jesus, The Power of Vision, and Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.
  • Former president George H. W. Bush who previously served as UN Ambassador and Ambassador to China. When introducing his version of our current US/UNESCO education system in 1991, he said,

"Nations that stick to stale old notions and ideologies [Biblical Truth and values?] will falter and fail. So I'm here today to say, America will move forward.... New schools for a new world.... Re-invent--literally start from scratch and reinvent the American school...."

What do you suppose the former president mean by "stale old notions and ideologies?" Biblical absolutes? That makes sense in light of the education program he had just endorsed: the U.S. version of UNESCO's global education system.

Remember, UNESCO is no friend of Christianity. In 1995, UNESCO's Commission on Culture and [human] Development issued a report titled, Our Creative Diversity. It denounced "extreme doctrinaire views" that "look to an imagined past" and called for a global transformation not unlike Dr. Harman's futuristic vision:

�The challenge to humanity is to adopt new ways of thinking, new ways of acting, new ways of organizing itself in society, in short, new ways of living."[10]

Everything must be changed -- especially the way we think of ourselves in relationship to the "greater whole." When applied to religion, the "new ways of thinking" means setting aside "narrow" or inflexible beliefs for the sake of unity, universalism and "common good." Christianity must either bend or break.

Or, as Leonard Sweet wrote in Soul Tsunami (endorsed by Rick Warren): "Postmodern culture is a change-or-be-changed world. The word is out: Reinvent yourself for the 21st century or die."[11]

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Those who trust God and His Word will see the futility behind such revolutionary aims and claims. We have no reason to fear the rising hostility from those who reject our Lord, for He has promised,

�...in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.� John 16:33


Footnotes:

1, International Spirit at Work Award
2, The "Continuing Consultation on Future Evangelical Concerns" was held in Overland Park, Kansas, December 11-14, 1979 -- sponsored by the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. Transcripts from the 1977 and 1979 consultations were published in a book titled An Evangelical Agenda: 1984 and Beyond (Copyright 1979 by the Billy Graham Center and published by the William Carey Library, Fuller Theological Seminary). Cited by Herescope in "Proposing 'A New Theology.'"
3, Willis Harman, Global Mind Change (Warner Books, 1988). Back cover.
4, Jeff M. Sellers, "The Higher Self Gets Down To Business," Christianity Today, 2-1-03.
5, "The purpose-driven pastor" Rick Warren: Fundamentalism... "one of the big enemies...",
6, An Evangelical Agenda: 1984 and beyond, copyright 1979 by the Billy Graham Center and published by the William Carey Library (Fuller Theological Seminary). pages 33-35.
7, Herescope, "Willis Harman speaks to evangelicals virtually unopposed"
8, Herescope, Why was a Theosophist teaching Christians about the future?
9, Leonard Sweet & Willis Harman -- Metanoia/Transformation
10, Our Creative Diversity, UNESCO Commission on Culture and [human] Development, 1995, page 67, 11.
11, Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in the New Millennium Culture (Zondervan, 1999), pp. 74-75.

� 2007 Berit Kjos - All Rights Reserved

 

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Berit Kjos is a widely respected researcher, writer and conference speaker. A frequent guest on national radio and television programs, Kjos has been interviewed on Point of View (Marlin Maddoux), The 700 Club, Bible Answer Man, Beverly LaHaye Live, Crosstalk and Family Radio Network. She has also been a guest on "Talk Back Live" (CNN) and other secular radio and TV networks.  Her last two books are A Twist of Faith and Brave New Schools. Kjos Ministries Web Site: http://www.crossroad.to/index.html

 

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Everything must be changed -- especially the way we think of ourselves in relationship to the "greater whole."