Before I jump into today's part two post of debunking the mystical false teachings of Eckhart Tolle, I want to clearly state something. I feel quite certain that "A New Earth" will run it's course of being a best seller and then before long will become tall stacks of orange books with clearance stickers on them.
It's teachings will in fact collapse into a collective New Age Movement that will soon produce another "enlightened guru" with more confusing theories meant to further ascend the minds of those "privileged" enough to be called "free thinkers."
So, why even spend time talking about this? Because while this one book will soon fade as the loudest alarm, the New Age movement will not. It is vitally important for Christians to be keenly aware of false teachings so that we don't inadvertently get swept up in them, and so that we can talk intelligently to those who are trying this stuff out.
And massive amounts of people are checking out this teaching right now. The vast majority of people caught up in what some media has called the "Church of Oprah" under the tutelage of Eckhart Tolle are women. Statistics have shown that at least 3 million people are joining in their weekly web conferences... and again most of these people are women.
Why would this be the case? Basically, Oprah has proven herself to be a "trusted friend" for years. She is seen as a woman who is incredibly successful, generous, and smart. Her life looks like it works. People want a life that works.
Crowds of women are drawn to her... many of whom are women who are dying for not only a life that works but also a spirituality that works. That is why this book, "A New Earth" makes such an appealing claim in its subtitle, "Awakening to Life's Purpose." Who doesn't want that, right?
The most dangerous theme I've discovered in this book so far is this notion that you don't have to weigh your current religious beliefs against this new age awakening. You can keep all your current religious beliefs but just put them into proper perspective. Those are elementary ideas. A step toward spiritual progress. But if you want real success in your spirituality's effectiveness, you have to make a leap into the graduate school of beliefs which is where "true enlightenment" takes place.
In true enlightenment you will discover that "the light of consciousness is all that is necessary" for a more fulfilling existence... and most dangerous of all it teaches "you are the light." You are the source of all truth and all truth can be relative to the way your enlightened being processes it.
Therefore, if Buddha works for you- great. If Hinduism works for you- great. If Jesus works for you- great. All these different avenues just simply lead to that first step toward awakening your consciousness.
That is why Oprah, who in the past spoke as if she was a Christian, now says Jesus is not the only way. According to her, she has finally realized how her Baptist background caused her to put God in a box. Now, she has been enlightened past that. And she wants to help others to expand their thinking in spiritual matters as well... after all her background is that of being a host of a TV talk show which makes her highly qualified to become a new age guru... right?
So, basically, you don't have to throw away your Jesus roots... you just have to put them in perspective. According to Tolle, Jesus is basic. He was the light of your basic beliefs. But ultimately you, yourself, are the way... the truth and the life. No one comes to spiritual awakening but by reaching inside themselves and leaping to a higher consciousness of being. Oh and by the way, this is not just possible for humans. Animals, plants, and even rocks can transcend to this new awakened state as well.
That is why the book is called "A New Earth" and not just "A New people."
Throughout the book, Tolle, walks right beside Christian beliefs and seems to know just enough lingo to make his writing appear, especially to the ungrounded Christian, truthful. For example, look at how he talks about sin...
"Sin means to miss the mark, as an archer who misses the target"... yes! yes! I've heard this preached about at my church, a person might excitedly think. But wait, look at how he finishes this sentence.
"Sin means to miss the mark, as an archer who misses the target, so to sin means to miss the point of human existence. It means to live unskillfully, blindly, and thus to suffer and cause suffering." In other words, this book has been promoted as the guide by which you can find your purpose therefore not missing the point of your existence. So, if you don't ascribe to this teaching... you will live unskillfully, blindly thus becoming a person who suffers and causes suffering.
Wait a minute.
Dictionary.com has not caught up to this new definition of sin. It still defines sin this way:
1. transgression of divine law: the sin of Adam.
2. any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.
3. any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense: It's a sin to waste time. –verb (used without object)
4. to commit a sinful act.
5. to offend against a principle, standard, etc.
Romans 3:21-25 says, "21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
The truth is that sin is that which separates us from God. But God has made a way for us to be forgiven of our sin through Jesus Christ... the one and only WAY.
Jesus must be the filter through which we pass every situation we encounter. Then we can face our lives and everything in it with the confident assurance of a peace that transcends our emotional processes and on to a truth-filled understanding.
Tolle's book is so successful because people want more- they want to live a life that matters. They want to feel like they have a handle on their spirituality. They know that life is more than just acquiring power, prestige, and possessions. And since we live in a higher education driven society, the thought that Tolle offers the higher education of religion is appealing.
People's egos are stroked when they hear that only a few will ever achieve the enlightenment that you can receive if you read and apply his words. Who wouldn't want to be part of an elite, enlightened group? The problem is that it's a false enlightenment that will not stand the test of time, will fall apart at the seams when life strains against it, and quite honestly paves a quick road to eternal separation from God.
Tomorrow I will answer the question that this post begs... why then did you, Lysa, agree to be on the Oprah Show?
It's teachings will in fact collapse into a collective New Age Movement that will soon produce another "enlightened guru" with more confusing theories meant to further ascend the minds of those "privileged" enough to be called "free thinkers."
So, why even spend time talking about this? Because while this one book will soon fade as the loudest alarm, the New Age movement will not. It is vitally important for Christians to be keenly aware of false teachings so that we don't inadvertently get swept up in them, and so that we can talk intelligently to those who are trying this stuff out.
And massive amounts of people are checking out this teaching right now. The vast majority of people caught up in what some media has called the "Church of Oprah" under the tutelage of Eckhart Tolle are women. Statistics have shown that at least 3 million people are joining in their weekly web conferences... and again most of these people are women.
Why would this be the case? Basically, Oprah has proven herself to be a "trusted friend" for years. She is seen as a woman who is incredibly successful, generous, and smart. Her life looks like it works. People want a life that works.
Crowds of women are drawn to her... many of whom are women who are dying for not only a life that works but also a spirituality that works. That is why this book, "A New Earth" makes such an appealing claim in its subtitle, "Awakening to Life's Purpose." Who doesn't want that, right?
The most dangerous theme I've discovered in this book so far is this notion that you don't have to weigh your current religious beliefs against this new age awakening. You can keep all your current religious beliefs but just put them into proper perspective. Those are elementary ideas. A step toward spiritual progress. But if you want real success in your spirituality's effectiveness, you have to make a leap into the graduate school of beliefs which is where "true enlightenment" takes place.
In true enlightenment you will discover that "the light of consciousness is all that is necessary" for a more fulfilling existence... and most dangerous of all it teaches "you are the light." You are the source of all truth and all truth can be relative to the way your enlightened being processes it.
Therefore, if Buddha works for you- great. If Hinduism works for you- great. If Jesus works for you- great. All these different avenues just simply lead to that first step toward awakening your consciousness.
That is why Oprah, who in the past spoke as if she was a Christian, now says Jesus is not the only way. According to her, she has finally realized how her Baptist background caused her to put God in a box. Now, she has been enlightened past that. And she wants to help others to expand their thinking in spiritual matters as well... after all her background is that of being a host of a TV talk show which makes her highly qualified to become a new age guru... right?
So, basically, you don't have to throw away your Jesus roots... you just have to put them in perspective. According to Tolle, Jesus is basic. He was the light of your basic beliefs. But ultimately you, yourself, are the way... the truth and the life. No one comes to spiritual awakening but by reaching inside themselves and leaping to a higher consciousness of being. Oh and by the way, this is not just possible for humans. Animals, plants, and even rocks can transcend to this new awakened state as well.
That is why the book is called "A New Earth" and not just "A New people."
Throughout the book, Tolle, walks right beside Christian beliefs and seems to know just enough lingo to make his writing appear, especially to the ungrounded Christian, truthful. For example, look at how he talks about sin...
"Sin means to miss the mark, as an archer who misses the target"... yes! yes! I've heard this preached about at my church, a person might excitedly think. But wait, look at how he finishes this sentence.
"Sin means to miss the mark, as an archer who misses the target, so to sin means to miss the point of human existence. It means to live unskillfully, blindly, and thus to suffer and cause suffering." In other words, this book has been promoted as the guide by which you can find your purpose therefore not missing the point of your existence. So, if you don't ascribe to this teaching... you will live unskillfully, blindly thus becoming a person who suffers and causes suffering.
Wait a minute.
Dictionary.com has not caught up to this new definition of sin. It still defines sin this way:
1. transgression of divine law: the sin of Adam.
2. any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.
3. any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense: It's a sin to waste time. –verb (used without object)
4. to commit a sinful act.
5. to offend against a principle, standard, etc.
Romans 3:21-25 says, "21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
The truth is that sin is that which separates us from God. But God has made a way for us to be forgiven of our sin through Jesus Christ... the one and only WAY.
Jesus must be the filter through which we pass every situation we encounter. Then we can face our lives and everything in it with the confident assurance of a peace that transcends our emotional processes and on to a truth-filled understanding.
Tolle's book is so successful because people want more- they want to live a life that matters. They want to feel like they have a handle on their spirituality. They know that life is more than just acquiring power, prestige, and possessions. And since we live in a higher education driven society, the thought that Tolle offers the higher education of religion is appealing.
People's egos are stroked when they hear that only a few will ever achieve the enlightenment that you can receive if you read and apply his words. Who wouldn't want to be part of an elite, enlightened group? The problem is that it's a false enlightenment that will not stand the test of time, will fall apart at the seams when life strains against it, and quite honestly paves a quick road to eternal separation from God.
Tomorrow I will answer the question that this post begs... why then did you, Lysa, agree to be on the Oprah Show?
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