DIAPRAX GOES TO SEMINARY
Paul Proctor
November 13, 2002
NewsWithViews.com
I mentioned in a previous article that many churches and organizations not officially belonging to the Willow Creek Association were now adopting Willow Creek’s ways. It shrewdly allows them the social and financial benefits of compromise without the carnal stigma of being affiliated. An example of this can be found in a recent Baptist Press article by Richard D. McCormack entitled:
'Interactive Team-Building Seminar' Called Cutting-Edge Way of Learning' http://www.baptistpress.com/bpnews.asp?ID=14603
Mr. McCormack reports that a workshop was held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas for the purpose of introducing a 'new style of learning' based on a program called 'EPIC'. (Experience, Participate, Image-Rich and Connection) John Herring, pastor of discipleship at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala. was quoted as saying "it is the model of things to come for teaching in our churches". Little does he know that what seminar leaders Leonard Sweet and Keith Kline were teaching is Diaprax.
For those unacquainted with the term 'Diaprax', it is simply another word for the Hegelian Dialectic or consensus process -- a deceitful procedure designed to bring about change through conflict and compromise that was conceived in the late 1700's by transformational Marxist, Georg Wilhelm Fredric Hegel who sought, as occult-led globalists do to this day, ‘unity in diversity' – a term many of us became familiar with under the Clinton Administration. Diaprax, a word coined by author and teacher Dean Gotcher, essentially brings together people of diverse and often opposing backgrounds, worldviews and belief systems in hopes they will forfeit their own values, traditions and absolutes for the emotional rewards of group acceptance.
The goal of Diaprax in the church is to rid the flock of its pesky and divisive hang-ups and habits that impede unity and change – personal convictions and restrained behaviors that are based on Biblical truth rather than political correctness, pragmatism and personal taste. Diaprax is a truth-silencing technique that covertly promotes humanist ideals and a reciprocating brotherly love known in the Greek as 'phileo' through imagery (arts/media) and conversation (opinion/dialog) at the expense of the more Godly, obedient, self-sacrificing, truthful and unworldly 'love-your-enemy' kind of love called 'agape' – the kind of love that drove the Apostle Paul to speak the bitter truth about sinful man from the chains of a dark and lonely prison; the kind of love that caused Stephen to cry out: "lay not this sin to their charge" as the angry crowd stoned him to death for his cutting words of conviction; and what moved the Lord Jesus Himself to say as He hung on a cross for the sins of the world: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Those who GO along to GET along, the cowardly essence of Diaprax, are rewarded with the 'phileo' love of tolerance and flattery. Those who courageously challenge the consensus are shamed, ridiculed or rejected for their 'hateful' attitude', 'mean-spiritedness' and 'ungodly' disruption of the group's 'purpose-driven' unity.
Facilitators of Diaprax always minimize the importance of scriptural knowledge (facts) and didactic teaching (lectures) in order to successfully seduce their subjects into group participation with un-offensive human interaction, superficial edutainment, non-threatening worshiptainment and dialectic 'team-building' techniques. Diaprax doesn’t teach anyone anything except how to THINK, FEEL and EXPERIENCE what everyone else is thinking, feeling and experiencing. The only thing learned by Diaprax is the process itself. What Diaprax is REALLY all about is unlearning your core values – letting go of anything that keeps you from moving toward the new paradigm of global harmony. It's about turning one's ears from the Ancient of Days to the latest noise on the street for spiritual guidance and direction.
You see, carnal Christians led by consensus are more likely to FEEL secure in their group-led opinions and actions knowing they're not alone in them, even if they are unbiblical. But unfortunately, many today have made consensus their conscience in order to avoid any personal responsibility or accountability for sin.
Have you ever wondered why movies, games, sports, plays, concerts, speeches and events have a much greater motivational impact on us inside a theater, arena or coliseum surrounded by hundreds or thousands of enthusiastic people than they do viewed through a television screen in the privacy of our home? It's because we receive the heightened emotional stimulation and support of the crowd around us. And it is THAT elevated emotional state that makes us cave-in to peer-pressure, laugh at sin, imitate the unregenerate and rush to say and do things we never would when alone with God.
This transformational process is especially dangerous to Biblical Christians who are enticed into compromising their convictions for the collective. The tragic result of the process is that believers are slowly drawn away from the absolutes of God's Word to accept the 'cutting-edge' strategies and ‘team-building’ techniques of some 'loving and supportive' group they bonded with emotionally, making it extremely hard to walk away. These seductive 'whatever-it-takes' relationships are the driving force behind today's 'new spirituality' where 'facilitators' with pre-determined outcomes manipulate 'seekers' into superficial commitments and carnal covenants with eye-catching imagery and misguided emotion toward a one-world religion of wholesale mediocrity. This is the meaning of 'unity in diversity'. It is an outcome-based religion and a 'new world order', powered by a transformational process called 'Diaprax'.
Do yourself a favor and read the Baptist Press article above. What you'll see is the dialectic language of a brave new world that lures its targets with words like, 'interactive', 'image-rich', 'cutting edge', 'futurist', 'new learning strategy', 'rewired', 'leadership', 'team-building', 'transition', 'audience', 'participative', 'entrepreneurial', 'next millennium', 'whatever it takes', 'dialog', 'evaluate', 'programming', 'new paradigm', 'image-based', 'carving ministries', 'casting ministries', 'experiential momentum', 'passion-driven', 'purpose-driven', 'success', 'non-relevant lectures', 'post-modern', 'concepts', 'solidifying', 'invest', 'money', 'resources', 'conversational', 'intentionally relational', 'share experiences', and 'connecting'.
Words you WON’T see in the article are God, Jesus Christ, cross, sin, rebellion, repentance, confession, forgiveness, grace, mercy, wisdom, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, the Holy Spirit, edification, sanctification, glorification or even salvation. Why? -- Because this 'model of things to come for teaching in our churches' is not about the Gospel of Christ. It is about avoiding it at all costs.
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." – 2nd Timothy 4:3-4
© 2002 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved
Paul Proctor, a rural resident of the Volunteer state and seasoned veteran of the country music industry, retired from showbiz in the late 1990's to dedicate himself to addressing important social issues from a distinctly biblical perspective. As a freelance writer and regular columnist for News With Views, he extols the wisdom and truths of scripture through commentary and insight on cultural trends and current events. His articles appear regularly on a variety of news and opinion sites across the internet and in print. Paul may be reached at watchman@usa.com.
