Rick Warren’s New Age Diet Plan

Rick Warren clearly yoked with New Age Proponent Dr. Mark Hyman

1 Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. 31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

The year has just gotten underway but already we see that there is disturbing news in the church. The passage about King Jeroboam above was referenced to show an example of what happens when the concern for maintaining Biblical standards declines in a society. Not only can a nation become corrupted but its very religious institutions will as well. Jeroboam, out of concern for maintaining his power in the Northern Kingdom, set up false temples of worship for the Israelites of the North so they would not have to go to Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom for worship. He not only violated numerous mosaic laws in the way he did this, he even brought back the dreaded golden calf idol which had angered God back in Exodus. And such is the case with churches in America today. The spiritual decline in America has led to churches becoming watered down and less concerned with following God. The result: a false worship. Rick Warren is taking this to new extremes with his “Daniel Plan” a spiritual diet plan named in tribute to Daniel and his fellow Israelites who refused to eat the meals offered by the pagan Kingdom of Babylon and still were far healthier than their gentile counterparts.

Many sites, including World View Times have done very thorough articles detailing that in implementing this plan, Warren has yoked himself up with Doctors Daniel Amen, Mark Hyman and Mehmet OZ, all of whom are involved in and are proponents of various spiritual practices such as Sufi Islam, the teachings of Mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, transcendental meditation and yoga among other things.

Now in order to really get a feel for what the Daniel Plan was about I went on the website to read the materials and watch the videos offered. Most of it is very straightforward health advice. None of the above pagan/New Age practices were mentioned in anything that I viewed on Warren’s Saddleback Church website. But the problem comes with the fact that Warren is strongly and wholeheartedly endorsing these doctors and their work, including their books and TV shows in which these unbiblical practices are advocated. It is a very mixed message to his congregation, Christians at large and the unbelieving world to be so in support of men who are such strong proponents of these ideas. For example, a brief scan of Dr. Oz’s own website takes you right to a page that teaches you to “Meditate to Lose Weight.” Yet, Warren has no problem proclaiming in videos his love for Dr. Oz’s work.

Additionally, the rhetoric on the site does lean towards globalism as we are told by Dr. Hyman that we need to live in “community” and the “individuals” will not survive in our future world of “group living.” Warren has repeatedly pushed for an ecumenical movement and merging of religious beliefs and this is just a continuation of it. There is no mention of Jesus anywhere on the pages of the Daniel Plan. And almost no urging to live a Christian life or serve God in what is being done in the Plan.

The sad thing in all of this is that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not abstain from the Babylonian meals being given to them to be more fit, lose weight or get ready for beach season. They rejected the food being given because they believed and followed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, The God of the Bible. And they refused to compromise any of their beliefs by mixing what God had declared as clean and pure foods with the unclean meals being offered by the Babylonians. Their refusal to compromise God’s Word and mix in with other belief systems is exactly what Warren is doing by being yoked with these three doctors and endorsing their work so strongly. We can only pray that amidst his efforts to lose 90 lbs, he also loses his repeated desire to forget about Biblical principles.

UPDATE: In another sign of the spiritual dangers of the doctors Rick Warren is promoting, Christian Research Network informed that Dr. Oz just recently planned a mass hypnosis through the television to help his viewers lose weight. Again, Rick Warren’s endorsement of doctors who use these spiritually dangerous methods is just error on his part.

Christian Leaders Wrongly Yolk Themselves with Glenn Beck

Beck is Preaching a Different Gospel and a Different Jesus

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Fox News has provided News Host Glenn Beck with an almost unprecedented platform to discuss his religious beliefs on their network. As Beck has promoted his “spiritual awakening” he has rallied his viewers and others to join him in his crusade to “turn America back to God.” The event surrounding this was his August 28th rally on Washington D.C., that drew hundreds of thousands of attendees. Many Christian Evangelical leaders attended and yolked themselves with Beck as he exhorted the crowd to pray and believe in “the one God”.

So what is wrong with this picture? It’s simple. Glenn Beck’s Mormon doctrine is not in line with the Bible. The Bible is the basis of Christian doctrine. If your church, pastor, teacher or loved ones tell you or teach you otherwise, I pray you listen to God over all of them. The Lord reveals Himself through His Word. Any belief system that has ideas that are contrary to The Bible or change the Bible, cannot be considered Christianity. And Mormonism is not Biblical Christianity.

No groups of Christians are going to agree on every Biblical question. However, there are certain fundamental beliefs on which there can be no variance. How to go to Heaven, who God is, Jesus being the Son of God and God, are some of the critical areas of belief that determine if you even are a Christian at all. There are many of these serious differences between Mormon belief and the Bible, (mostly stemming from the fact that Mormons rely on their own books and the US Constitution for their doctrine). The chief different being that Jesus and Satan are brothers in Mormon theology, whereas in the Bible Jesus is the Creator of all things (John 1). Eric Barger’s website has a very well-put together list explaining these difference. Here are just a few:

“IN MORMONISM THERE ARE MANY GODS

“In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it….In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.” Joseph Smith, (Founder and First Prophet), History of the Church, Vol 6, pp. 308,474.
THE BIBLE: There was and is and always will be only ONE GOD (Isaiah 43:10-11, 44:6-8, 45:5-6,18-22; Deuteronomy 6:4, 32:39; James 2:19)

MORMONISM’S GOD WAS ONCE A MAN

“God himself was one as we are now, and is an exalted man…I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form…like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man…He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 305.
THE BIBLE: God was never a man. He created man! God has been God from all eternity to all eternity. (Psalm 41:13, 90:2, 102:25-27; Romans 1:22-23)”

What Beck is attempting to do is equate Mormonism with Biblical Christianity and thus gain acceptance into the evangelical church. And sadly, he is succeeding. He stressed at the rally the need to “set aside differences.” This should be a red flag to any Christian. We are to never set aside the truths of the Bible for any reason whatsoever. Even if our own home church we have gone to for years is doing something that makes make a little “set aside” of The Word, then we should run from that place too.

Brannon Howse at Worldview Network has done an excellent job covering Beck, his rally and the leaders who have compromised their faith. The Bible makes it clear: we are to love all people and share the Gospel with all people of all backgrounds. A Christian should be ready to engage and share themselves with anyone, whether they are rich, poor, Buddhist or Satanist. But when it comes to actually working on spiritual issues, we are not to be linked or in fellowship with non-believers. As the verse above states, do we seek to persuade men or are we trying to persuade God to our beliefs? Are we seeking to please people at the cost of Biblical doctrine? By attending and standing with Beck at his rally, pastors are tacitly endorsing his beliefs and not following clear Biblical instruction. It’s this type of “let’s all drop our differences”, pluralistic attitude that is leading the ecumenical movement and drawing more and more Christians into what will be the One World Religion. A faith that abandons the Bible for the sake of unity and false “peace.”

And just to drive this point home, in the opening 5 minutes of Beck’s speech at the rally he brought a rabbi, two Native American people and a pastor for what he described as a tribute to a time when “people came together of different faiths, in the spirit of God and the first thing they did, was pray together..” before gesturing to the pastor to lead an interfaith prayer. If they are all praying to the “one true God” who acknowledges every religion as a way to reach Him, this is not the God of the Bible.

Today, tomorrow and in the future, everyone will have to take a stand. Whether it’s a stand against committing a sin, a stand for your faith or a stand of love to help another, these decisions are inevitable. But who we stand with and work with has serious spiritual implications. And a Bible-believing Christian should not be linked with those who do not recognize the Jesus of The Bible, the God of the Bible or truth of the Bible.

For a video on this, here is Todd Friel of Wretched TV explaining more on Beck’s theology:

Apostasy Alert — John Piper’s Invitation of Rick Warren to Desiring God Conference

Is Mr. Warren really reading that book in his hand?

Many Christian sites are reporting on John Piper’s decision to invite Mega-Preacher of the Seeker Sensitive Method, Rick Warren, to the 2010 Desiring God Conference. Why Piper did this is still not entirely clear to me but I am writing this to register my strong disagreement with his being yolked with Rick Warren. (On the same note I am not in agreement with Mr. Piper on many issues – but at least his preaching has been more sound in the past than that of Mr. Warren’s). This event seems like one that is best to be avoided.

I will be making a more detailed blog about Warren and his Globalist P.E.A.C.E. Plan that pretty much ties right in with the New World Order Agenda. In the meantime, I will just several examples I strongly disagree with Rick Warren’s watered down theology.

First and foremost Rick Warren is world-renowned for his self-help book, the Purpose-Driven Life. While this book has sold millions of copies it presentation of the Gospel is watered-down at best, heresy at worst. Just to provide a few examples of Warren’s mishandling of Biblical doctrine:

Warren on Sin:

“Many people are driven by guilt…. Guilt-driven people are manipulated by memories. They allow their past to control their future. They often unconsciously punish themselves by sabotaging their own success. When Cain sinned, his guilt disconnected him from God’s presence, and God said, ‘You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.’ That describes most people today—wandering through life without a purpose.” (pp. 27-28)

The Bible states: Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

In this passage in Genesis Cain feels no guilt about killing his own brother. Even when questioned by God, he did not hide in shame (like his parents did after they sinned in the Garden of Eden). He lied to God Almighty! That is a sign of someone who does not fear God, not someone who feels guilty. And then after lying he was defiant in his attitude. He was completely rebellious against The Lord.

Furthermore, feelings of guilt did not drive Cain from God’s presence. God punished Cain by banishing him from the face of the Earth. Only after he received his punishment did Cain start to complain about how hard and dangerous it would be for him. But he still showed zero remorse for what he had done. Cain was punished for sin. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23), so Cain serves as an early example of being ultimately punished by God should we die in our sin. Warren not only misinterprets this passage, he does not mention the most important thing: that we are sinners who are destined for punishment without a Savior (who we have in Jesus Christ).

Warren on Salvation

“God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?” (p. 34)

The Bible says: Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Considering there is a curse for preaching the gospel any differently than how it was preached by Jesus and the Apostles, doctrine certainly matters. What if someone “learns to love” Jesus and trust him but also believes in the Hindu gods and loves and trusts them as well to the point of worship? What if they learn to love Jesus but do not believe He is the Son of God?  Are they going to Heaven? The Bible says no.

Warren: “If you learn to love and trust God’s Son then you have salvation…Right now, God is inviting you to live for his glory by fulfilling the purposes he made you for..all you need to do is receive and believe” He then asks, “Will you accept God’s offer?” (p. 58). After urging his readers to believe God chose them and receive the Holy Spirit for power to “fulfill your life purpose” (Warren 58), he offers a little prayer that will save people. According to Warren, here is how you are saved: It’s reflected in the prayer of salvation he suggests: “I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity, ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.” Then he makes this promise, “If you sincerely meant that prayer congratulations! Welcome to the family of God!” (p. 59)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus in Chapter 24 visited his disciples after His Resurrection. He then “opened their understanding” to know the Scriptures better and taught them from the Word, starting with the Books of Moses. And then the Bible states: Luke 24: 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Jesus gave clear instructions. The disciples should preach repentance and the forgiveness of all sins by the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord. Where is the mention of repentance in Warren’s prayer? Of the sin that we are seeking forgiveness for? The sin that Christ died for? There’s nothing. If we do not recognize or even acknowledge our sin, then how can we truly believe we need a Savior? Or be forgiven for them. This is why Christ said to preach repentance.

Blasphemy?

Of possibly even greater offense was the Inaugural Prayer that Warren recited for President Obama. In this prayer, Warren stated “I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus, who taught us to pray…”

Warren actually referred to Jesus Christ our Savior as “Isa” the name of the Muslim Jesus in the Koran. Isa is not the son of God in Islam (in Islam, Allah has no son). He did not die on the cross. He is not Jesus Christ The Messiah. Again the Bible is clear on this:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

That name is Jesus Christ (Christ being his Title as a Savior of Humanity, which Warren neglected to say). To pray in the name “Isa” was heretical, offensive and blasphemous. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines blasphemy as ” n. An indignity offered to God by words or writing; reproachful, contemptuous or irreverent words uttered impiously against Jehovah.” By calling Jesus a name from another Holy Book that denies Him being the Son of God and Savior, I think Warren has met the definition.

In conclusion, I strongly oppose inviting a preacher who is not Biblical, changes the Gospel and disrespect God in prayer, to preach at an event. If Mr. Piper wanted to invite Mr. Warren as a guest to sit and enjoy the event and listen to other preachers, that would have been a fine way to include him. But having him “teach” is just a wrong decision. bringing false teachers to the flock is just not good. Mr. Piper, is lacking discernment and just falling deeper into apostasy with this move.

Piper’s Defense

To be fair to John Piper, I will link his own defense below. One wonders why he needed to make a video justifying his invitation of Warren if he was confident in his theology in the first place. That alone should be a red flag.

“Jesus was rich!” – The Prosperity Gospel Strikes Again

CNN has a new piece on the prosperity gospel and pastors proclaiming that Jesus was a wealthy mogul during his First Coming to Earth. So the logic of the “Prosperity Gospel” we as followers of Jesus should expect to be rich as well. Now the Bible does not go to great lengths to explain Jesus’ financial situation. We never even see Him buy anything. But that is not the real issue. There is nothing wrong with having money or material wealth, just like there is nothing inherently righteous in being poor. The key point here is where as Christians should place our focus. And the pastors of the Prosperity Gospel are directing it towards wealth and receiving. So let’s look to the Words of Jesus about focusing on wealth:

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

1 Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Here the Bible states that we are not to be focused on material gain and that any preacher who is not teaching the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrines according to godliness (the Holy Scripture) is someone not to be followed. He then goes on to lists flaws with these false preachers and among them is that they suppose “that gain is godliness.” This is the Prosperity Gospel. It is diverting the Christian from serving The Lord and drawing it towards the Holy Spirit serving us in the form of material items and wealth.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

The Bible instructions the Christian to let their “conversation be without covetousness.” The word conversation here means your lifestyle or general behavior and it should not involve constant desire. The Prosperity Gospel makes desire one of the main principles of living as faith of the believer is constantly being directed towards obtaining material wealth or items. Again, there is nothing wrong with praying for provision and believing that The Lord will provide for you today, in the world. But at the same time we should be content with our current situation and know that no matter what highs we reach or what depths we sink to, God Almighty is there with us, helping, providing and caring for us.