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Featured False Teaching of Contemplative Prayer...

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Allan, May 14, 2013.

  1. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    what you describe is not what the new trend of contemplative prayer is.
     
  2. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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  3. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    The example from the passion concert seemed to say that they filled their minds with the Word of God and then asked Jesus to speak to them. So you think this is a heretical devotional practice?
     
  4. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    If you can show me where we are to read a passage of Scripture, say a magic phrase or word, empty our mind in complete silence waiting for some supernatural revelation, and continue to repeat said process from Scripture...I'll jump on board.
     
  5. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I think many times we are so bent on defending our biblical hero's at all cost our judgement becomes clouded. Seeing this in my own church even. No theologian is going to employ 100% accurate doctrine, and they need to be called out on false teaching regardless who they are or how popular they are.
     
  6. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    Is that what Piper did at the Passion concert? Show some quotes, please, or stop mischaracterizing and maligning servants of God.
     
  7. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    Piper said, "Empty your minds of the verse we just read and say a magic word"? Evidence please!
     
  8. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    You never read the Bible and ask Jesus to speak to you? I pity those.
     
  9. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    You are right on judgment becoming clouded, but remember that works both ways.

    Did you read the context of the quotes from Willard's book (quoted in the CRN link)? I see often where someone has an ax to grind and they cherry pick quotes from people's writing and speaking to make it look like they support some heresy or the other. Perhaps that is the case here?
     
  10. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    :thumbs: Yuuup.

    What I said.

    The 'research' on CP by Allan has some straw man arguments.
     
  11. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    This reminds me of what the author Sarah Young does. She has a NKJV study bible and authors various devotionals. I was interested in the bible but decided I should first find out who Sarah Young is since I'd never heard of her. Lifeway stores are flooded with her stuff and she is very popular.

    According to what I found, she goes to pray in a private place, empties her mind and waits for God to "speak" to her. She then writes down what He says to her. These are the notes that are in the bible and devotionals with her name on them. The notes are written in a first person format as if it is the actual words of God. I decided this bible was not for me.
     
  12. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    I think the word meditation just scares some people due to it's Eastern connotations. Silence is not bad.
     
  13. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    p4t, take note...THIS is what a true strawman is.

    Read the link in the op and then tell me why there was a specific phrase on the backdrop, and the purpose of it if everyone was supposed to be busy emptying their minds waiting for a supernatural, or as Piper calls it, 'mystical' communication.
     
  14. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Meditation requires thinking as Amy provided Scripture for at the beginning of this thread. Emptying ones mind contradicts meditation as defined.
     
  15. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    I've watched the John Piper Youtube link in the OP and know that you don't know what you're talking about with your false accusations. What he talks about is a thoroughly biblical contemplative knowledge of, prayer to, and communion with God. John says he's "ticked" at seminaries for their labeling true biblically centered contemplative prayer as Roman Catholic mysticism, and frankly I'm ticked at you, WEBDOG, for your false accusations and reckless abandon on this topic.
     
  16. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    Exactly.

    What Piper is in fact doing is protecting contemplative prayer (or a better word for those paranoid of the 'c' word 'meditative' reading, study, prayer) from those who've given it over to a mystical type of experience transcending the biblical sense.

    Unfortunately some don't look 'well to their way' as per Proverbs 14:15 and as soon as they hear 'CP' they're banging on the keyboard and accusing everyone they hear use the phrase. And they can't hear a word they say thereafter due to being blinded by paranoia and anger. None of the conclusions from this is to be considered true 'research.'

    Go figure.
     
    #56 preacher4truth, May 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: May 16, 2013
  17. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    Silence is golden. Duct tape is silver.
     
  18. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    You'll get over it.

    The challenge posed by Allan pages back has gone unanswered...where is it shown in the bible to read a passage of scripture, get silent for a while, then repeat the process over again? Piper said he was ticked that people go to the rcc for their mysticism, be apparently has no problem with protestant mysticism as he admits just that, its mystical how God communicates with us. That alone is false teaching, we know exactly how God communicates with us, and its never after a period of emptying our mind and summoning Him using some word like a genie.

    You all show the same lack of discernment as Piper.
     
    #58 webdog, May 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: May 16, 2013
  19. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    Unfortunately this is not so.

    The books "The Spirit of the Disciplines", "Hearing God", and "Renovation of the Heart" deal with the themes regarding Contemplative Prayers.

    In these books he recommends the Catholic Thomas Merton as well as Roman Catholic mystic saints such as Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Bernard of Clairvaux, Brother Lawrence, Thomas à Kempis, and Henri Nouwen.

    He also recommends the "Rule of Saint Benedict", and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 370).

    I think one point that might needs to be understood is that Mr. Willard was one of the main supporters of the "Spiritual Formation Movement" and does endorse Contemplative Prayer which is a part of the movement of Contemplative Spirituality along other leaders such as Richard Foster (who is one of the biggest endorsers of Contemplative Spirituality and prayer).

    There is almost no place on the web that doesn't give him equal credit to the rise of Contemplative Prayer that is currently being practiced and described as I have stated initially.
     
    #59 Allan, May 16, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: May 16, 2013
  20. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    deleted double post
     
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