Gwen Shamblin, The Christian Diet Guru

If you are overweight and tired of being spiritually defeated, Gwen Shamblin claims to have the answers and reveals them in her Weigh Down Workshops. Though she says she's a Christian, she has made it very clear that she denies the doctrine of the Trinity, which is a fundamental aspect of the Christan faith. Here are a couple of news clips of interviews with Gwen where she talks more about her beliefs.

Gwen believes that there is only one God, who is God the Father. She also says that she believes in Jesus, who is God's Son, but that neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit are God. In fact, the Holy Spirit, she says, is not a person, but is just the "force" of God.

Back in Oct. 2000, Rob Bowman, the Director of Research at Watchman Fellowship wrote a letter to Gwen Shamblin in the hopes of being able to share with her what the doctrine of the Trinity actually teaches and to clear up any misunderstandings that she may have been taught about the Trinity.

A few weeks ago, my Adult Bible Fellowship class at church finished a 2-week study on the Trinity, and I just recently my professor in my Systematic Theology class taught a lecture on the doctrine of the Trinity. Trinitarian doctrine is a very heavy subject, and after reviewing Mr. Bowman's letter, I think he did a very good job in covering the basics and explaining its key aspects.

(Excerpt from website)
The core elements of the doctrine of the Trinity are these:

1. There is one true God, the LORD, i.e., Yahweh, or Jehovah. (Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6-8; Acts 17:29; James 2:19)
   


2. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is this one true God, the LORD. (John 17:3; 20:17; cf. Ps. 110:1)
   


3. The Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is this one true God, the LORD. (John 1:1; 20:28; Rom. 10:9-13; Phil. 2:9-11; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20).
   


4. The Holy Spirit, who was sent by the Son from the Father, is this one true God, the LORD. (Acts 5:3-4, 9; 2 Cor. 3:17-18)
   

Though the concept of the Trinity can be a difficult subject to fully grasp, we simply have to accept that even though we don't completely understand it, it's still true because the Bible says so. In spite of what Gwen Shamblin, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Oneness Pentecostals may say, Evangelical Christians are not polytheists, nor are we modalist. We are monotheists... we worship the only one true God who eternally and co-equally exists as 3 Persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

If you would like to receive a free information packet about Gwen Shamblin or any other cult, religion, celebrity, or bestselling book, click here.

The Gospel of Inclusion

I just listened to an audio clip on the Watchman Fellowship website of an interview with Bishop Pearson discussing his movement called the Gospel of Inclusion and how he interprets the Gospel of Christ. Click here to listen to the audio clip.

At first, Pearson sounds biblically correct, but as you listen on, his beliefs are revealed to be very far off track from evangelical Christianity. One part of the audio clip that really caught my attention was the following question and answer between the lady interviewer and Bishop Pearson.

Lady: "Are you saying that everyone is going to heaven, basically?"
Pearson: "Yes! Your religion, your dogma and doctrines, cannot dictate to God who He will love and redeem. He made us all. Why would He not redeem us all? Unless we think that God is prejudice and bigoted like we are. God is not. God loves everybody, and anything outside of love is outside His character, His moral character."

I would agree with Pearson that God is love and thus is merciful and gracious; but God is also just (moral character). If He were not just, He would not be a holy, righteous Judge. God despises sin and will punish those who have sinned. Yes, it is true that when Christ died on the cross, His sacrifice was for the world, but only for those that put their faith and trust in Him.

Jesus declared in John 3:3 "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." As well as John 11:25-26, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" Jesus is clearly stating that His salvation must be accepted by the individual. We are not just saved by accident or without our knowledge. Every individual, in order to be saved, must accept Jesus Christ's free gift of grace and thus become born again.
However, Pearson (who is a universalist ) believes that Jesus' sacrifice gave everyone a "get-out-of-hell-free card." So, every religion: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Mormon, Buddhist, etc. are all "saved" and are all going to heaven. He even tries to justify his view by quoting 1 Tim. 2:5 that says "there is one God and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." And thus, all religions are saved because Jesus is our mediator. However, many religions would strongly object with that statement. Hindus would not agree because they are polytheistic and believe in thousands of gods as well as reincarnation as the vehicle for salvation. There are also Atheists who neither believe in any god nor in an afterlife.

Another comment that disturbed me was Pearson speaking about Jesus in 1 Tim. 2:5. He said, "Most Christians worship the mediator. They don't really worship God." After hearing that, I had to ask myself, "So, who does Pearson think Jesus is?" Jesus made very clear in Scripture that He is God (John 13:19) and He even received worship (Matt. 28:17). But apparently, Parsons does not believe that Jesus is God since he thinks worshiping Jesus doesn't mean you're worshiping God.

Here's a link if you'd like to learn more about Bishop Pearson and his Gospel of Inclusion or hear any of the other audio clip interviews. I also found a video of an NBC interview with Pearson.

The Da Vinci Con

Since its book release in 2003 (and the movie version in 2006), The Da Vinci Code, the mystery/detective novel by Dan Brown, has been a hot topic of controversy in both the church and the media. Dan Brown tells an intriguing fictitious story of an American symbologist who gets caught up in a ghastly murder in France and then seeks to find the murderer as well as the secret truth about Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene that led to the victim's untimely demise. Since the book hit the shelve in 2003, it has sold over 60 million copies worldwide, and the blockbuster movie in 2006 starring Tom Hanks has grossed over $758 million worldwide.

Though the book is advertised as fiction, Dan Brown makes it very clear in both the book as well as in interviews that he honestly believes the content of The Da Vinci Code which includes (excerpt from a Watchman Fellowship article):

• The Bible cannot be trusted.
  
• Jesus is not God, nor did the first century church believe him to be God.


• Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and intended to restore the worship of the goddess.
  

After watching the ABC news interview with Dan Brown, I was shocked that all his curiosity began with a painting that his college professor had shown them in class one day. In the painting of the "Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci (which is discussed in the book and shown in the movie), the "cup of Christ" is not in the painting anywhere, and some believe that the person on Jesus' right is not the Apostle John but is Mary Magdalene. They believe that Da Vinci was trying to convey in his art that Mary was the Holy Grail. Whether or not this is true, I am simply amazed that this one piece of art all of sudden is treated like the greatest archaeological find in history. Even if Da Vinci did intend to point to Mary as the Holy Grail... so what? People throughout history have painted their interpretation of things; so does that mean that the ancient paintings in Greece that depict Pegasus the flying horse or Medusa the snake-haired gorgon-women must also be real things and be absolutely true too? I think not!

I also think that Dan Brown's assumptions tainted his judgment during his "investigation" of the Holy Grail truth pursuit. He either intentionally fabricated or apparently did not do any real academic research on the actual Council of Nicea and what really transpired during that meeting. The book claims that "...Jesus' establishment as the ‘Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council...[and it won by] A relatively close vote at that." (pg. 233) First of all, Jesus being the "Son of God" was never in question at the Council meeting. There was a debate on whether Jesus was of the same substance as God (orthodox Christianity) or if he was of similar substance (Arianism). "The council decided against the Arians overwhelmingly (of the estimated 250-318 attendees, all but 2 voted against Arius)." (excerpt from Wikipedia)

Lastly, I also think that the people who believe that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and base this belief solely on a damaged gnostic document, the Gospel of Phillip, are being very naive and presumptuous. In the document, it says that Mary was beloved of Jesus, but I should point out that it also says that James was his beloved too. Dan Brown also claims that the document clearly shows that Jesus and Mary were married because he kisses her many times on the mouth. However, that is not true. Since the document is damaged, all it actually says is:

"And the companion of the [...] Mary Magdalene [...] her more than [...] the disciples [...] kiss her [...] on her [...]"

For all we know, the document could have originally stated, "And the companion of [the Apostle Peter was] Mary Magdalene [and he liked] her more than [all] the disciples [and would] kiss her [occasionally] on her [hand]... who knows? But nowhere does the document say that Jesus and Mary were married.

Hopefully, Christians will not be discouraged by the many people who have have bought into Dan Brown's ridiculous theories. Instead, I hope that they will use this book & movie as an opportunity to engage our culture. By researching the claims he makes about Jesus, the Bible, and the Church, we can be prepared to refute the errors and present the truth about the real Jesus of the Bible, His mission, and His salvation.

For more information and resources on The Da Vinci Code or Dan Brown, please visit the Watchman Fellowship website.

Are you Growing in Grace?

If you are unfamiliar with the Growing in Grace (Creciendo en Gracia) movement, please take a moment to watch this excerpt from The Today Show.
After watching the video and reading the article about it, needless to say I was shocked and appalled. Jose Miranda is a charlatan who has apparently targeted the Hispanic community brainwashing them into believing that he is Jesus Christ, the Second Coming.

Until today I had never heard of this movement, and I was amazed that they can be found in over 20 countries, mostly in central and south America, but also in the United States. They claim that they have over 30 teaching centers nationwide, and though they do not keep track of their membership, they estimate it to be at least a million or more.

These are just a few of Miranda's teachings:

• Sin no longer exists.
• There's not such thing as the Devil.
• Prayer is a waste of time.
• All other religions are liars (including Catholic, Protestant, Evangelicals, etc.)

I find it blatantly ironic that even though Miranda claims to be Jesus Christ and refers to the Bible (i.e. he requires his followers to tithe), his life, speech, and actions do not compare at all with the Lamb of God. Every one of his "teachings" directly contradict things that Jesus Himself preached.

The Bible clearly warns about false teachers & false prophets:

• Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matt. 7:15)
• I know full well that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:29)
• Those false teachers who are so anxious to win your favor are not doing it for your good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay more attention to them. (Gal. 4:17)
• Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (1 John 4:1)

What disturbs me the most about this cult is its potential violent nature. Miranda believes that all other religions are evil, deceiving, lying dogs and encourages his followers to protest them, and even be willing to give their lives to "spread the truth." Since he claims to be God, Miranda also demands unquestioned loyalty from his followers. Sounds a lot like the Branch Davidians and Koresh, doesn't it?

To learn more about Growing in Grace or other cults and alternative religions, please visit the Watchman Fellowship website.

Boston Legal vs Freedom of Religion

When the TV show "Boston Legal" came on the air in 2004, I was not impressed by the premise of the show nor by its leading actor, William Shatner. But every now and then, even the most loathsome TV show can make you turn your head and give applause.

Episode Synopsis: James Spader's character Alan Shore is defending the owner of a law firm who fired one of its attorney's for being a out-spoken Scientology fanatic.

Watch this snippet from the 2006 episode "Whose God Is It Anyway?"











After watching the video, there were a couple of observations that I made. While the lady attorney does make some valid points about freedom of religion, one statement that she makes regarding Muslims is not the whole truth. She lists several religions that do "wacky things" such as Christian Scientists don't go to the doctor; Jehovah's Witnesses won't buy Girl Scout cookies; and that "radical Muslims blow themselves up to meet virgins in heaven." This last statement is added so nonchalantly, but she's leaving out one vital part. Muslims do suicide bombings with the intent of killing infidels (i.e. non-Islamic people). If Muslims just had to commit suicide to get to heaven, I doubt there would be a single Muslim left on the planet. I was rather shocked to hear her include that with the implication that we should be tolerant and accepting of people who believe and do that sort of thing. So, in essence, she is saying the the tragedy of 9-11 shouldn't be condemned because the radical Muslims were just doing what their religion told them was ok.
Not only that, but her comment about Christian Scientists not going to doctors has resulted in countless deaths of children and adults who have died needlessly from illnesses that could have been easily treated with a simple antibiotic or saved by a blood-transfusion.

I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching James Spader's character explain Scientology! Even though his presentation was dripping with sarcasm, it didn't need much. The truth about Scientology is so ridiculous; any rational person can clearly see that it was created by a science-fiction-writer-turned-cult-guru with a very overact imagination and big dollar signs in his eyes. I also think that the character's closing remarks are brilliantly penned:

"How about we scale back on the Freedom of Religion dogma exalting it as all get-out?.... Now [your client] is trying to cloak himself in an amendment that is as overplayed as it is misapplied.... The founding fathers of this country set out to prevent persecution, not to license it."

I have to applaud the writers for making that statement!
Hopefully, more people will become aware of what Scientology teaches; so we as believers can be better equipped to help show them the truth and encourage them to leave the science fiction on the shelf.

To find out more about Scientology and receive a FREE Watchman Fellowship profile on this religion, click here.

One Way or Many Ways?

Before you read this review, you have got to watch this video of a segment from one of Oprah Winfrey's shows. Oprah makes a statement that she believes that there are many paths to "The Light/God" and then she is challenged by a Christian audience member. Watch what happenes: Click here to watch the video.

If you were unaware of Oprah's spiritual beliefs, you have now heard them with your own ears. Oprah is undoubtabley a New Age believer... the video as well as the article about her on the Watchman Fellowship website confirm that.

She is considered to be one of the the most influencial women in the world. Her TV show has a viewing audience of 15-20 million, and it is broadcast in at least 132 countries. Plus, if you are the author of a book that she selects to be highlighted in her Book Club (many authors are also fellow New Age & Unitarian believers), you are guarenteed to sell at least 1 million copies. With all her influence and media exposure, it is scary to realize how much of her warped sense of "spirituality" she spreads to so many people worldwide.

Regarding the video, I applaud the Christian lady for speaking out and challenging Oprah, but like any good skeptic, Oprah did bring up a tough argument: if you never hear about Jesus, can you still go to heaven? Unfortuately, the Christian lady was not well prepared to answer Oprah.

Here's what Jesus Christ says:

John 14:6 -- "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 10:30 -- "The Father and I are one." (in other words, Jesus is God!)
John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Matthew 7:13-14 -- "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
John 10:9 -- "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."

These are just a few of many passage in Scripture that Jesus makes some very serious claims about Himself. Most New Agers would say that Jesus was a good man and teacher, but that's all. However, Jesus clearly claims that He is God and is the only means by which we can be saved and go to heaven. But if Jesus was just a man, then he wouldn't be a good teacher, he'd be a liar and/or lunatic... OR... He is who He says He is... He is the LORD.

The Gospel According to Lucas

As I was surfing through the Watchman Fellowship website, I came across this article about Star Wars called The Gospel According to Lucas, Part II. First of all, I'm a huge movie fan, and I've always loved Star Wars (the original trilogy especially)! It was (and still is) one of my favorite movies to watch when I was a kid (and now as an adult). The article I read had some really interesting insights into the religious themes in the movie.

I once saw a Star Wars behind-the-scenes documentary, and I remember that George Lucas had mentioned that he got the idea of "the Force" from elements of Buddhism, especially Taoism (pronounced DOW-ism). The Watchman article included a chart that laid out a bunch of the similarities between Star Wars and Taoism. Very interesting!

The only part of the article that I didn't agree with was the statement:
"When the Millennium Falcon hides from the Empire in what its crew thinks is a cave inside an asteroid, only to discover they are inside the belly of a huge space slug (in Empire), it’s a clear allusion to the book of Jonah."
I'm not sure why the author would say that the space slug incident was an allusion to Jonah. I think he was a little off. The only similarity between the two is that there was a large animal with a person inside of them. I don't think it's an allusion to Jonah at all.

Star Wars is not a Christian movie, and neither does it contain "the essential beliefs of the New Age movement [which] include pantheism, reincarnation, and moral relativism." It does however have some hints of Christian themes in it, and I liked how the article gives several key areas in the movie that can be used as discussion starters regarding Christianity, especially showing the differences between "the Force" and God.

If you would like to read Part I of The Gospel According to Lucas or any other article on the Watchman Fellowship website, click here.