Christian Bookstores
by Sandy Simpson 6/10/08
There are many
books being sold today in Christian bookstores that are dangerous to your
spiritual health. Many here are already
familiar with the names of people whose books we should avoid from the Word of
Faith camp such as: John Bevere,
Juanita Bynum, Morris Cerullo, Kim Clement, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch,
Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey, Benny Hinn,
Rodney Howard-Browne, T.D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, Myles
Munroe, Steve Munsey, Mike Murdock, Joel Osteen, Rod Parsley, Peter Popoff,
Fred Price, R.W. Shambach, Robert Tilton, Paula White, Ed Young and a whole
host of others. We know to avoid the books
of people who are promoting the New Apostolic Reformation such as C. Peter
Wagner, John Dawson, Jack Deere, Francis Frangipane, Ted Haggard, Bill Hamon,
Cindy Jacobs, Rick Joyner, George Otis, Jr., Dutch Sheets, Ed Silvoso and many
others. I have spoken a number of times
on the subject of the First Nations Movement which is tied to the New Apostolic
Reformation. We know we need to avoid
the materials of those who teach these things like Richard Twiss, Daniel
Kikawa, Terry LeBlanc, YWAM and members of the World Gathering of Indigenous
People. There are many other false
teachers whose books are being sold in Christian bookstores that we need to
avoid. Reinhard Bonnke, Paul Cain, Paul
(David)Yonggi Cho, John Hagee, Christian Harfouche, Jack Hayford, David Hogan,
Roberts Liardon, Arnold Murray, Pat Robertson, Robert Schuller, Gwen Shaw,
Tommy Tenney and many more.
But
you may be unaware of the deep compromise of many Christian bookstores and
booksellers today. I began to become
aware of bad stuff being sold in Christian bookstores in the 1980s. Bud Press of Christian Research Ministries
started putting together a master list of books that Christian bookstores are
selling, which they should not be, some years ago. He then sent the list to a number of major booksellers and
bookstores and contacted them by phone.
Some of the booksellers removed some of the books on the list, but there
are many of the major booksellers that continue to sell the books I will show
you in a moment.
Many
of the books detailed below are STILL currently still being sold by booksellers
such as Christian Book: http://www.christianbook.com
, Lifeway Christian Stores (Southern Baptist): http://www.lifewaystores.com ,
Parable Christian Stores: http://www.parable.com
, Association of Logos Bookstores: http://www.logosbookstores.com/
and Mardel Christian & Educational Supply: http://www.mardel.com
While
all of these stores have made changes, they are still advertising and promoting
non-Christian authors and books.
Books
being sold by these outlets and many others include categories which you will
not believe … such as Contemplative Spirituality, Cultic, Emerging Church,
Heretical & False Religions, Homosexual, Lesbian, New Age, Pro-Gay, Purpose
Driven, Transgendered, and Word-Faith Authors.
The MASTER LIST is being continually revised as new “bad” books come
out, many but the same authors already being sold, and Bud is following up on
this issue all the time.
The
MASTER LIST consists of authors and books found advertised and promoted within
online Christian bookstores worldwide. Certain books may be ordered online from
walk-in Christian bookstore databases. While the Homosexual, Lesbian, Pro-Gay,
Transgendered category contains authors who are either homosexual, lesbian,
transgendered, or pro-gay, not all of the authors are homosexual or lesbian or
transgendered. For those of you who
want to check out this information about the authors and books, they may be
located by conducting a Google Search on the author's name (www.google.com ) or
by reading the "Description" section on the book provided by the
online bookstore.
Although
positive changes have taken place within the online and walk-in Christian
bookstores in some cases, it is important that website managers and employees
continuously monitor their websites and databases to ensure that solid, Bible-based
materials are being presented to the body of Christ. As long as a bookstore
claims to be Christian, it should be Christian through and through. Indeed, the
spiritual welfare of Christians and those searching for the real Jesus should
be foremost in the minds of everyone involved within the Christian book
industry.
List of
Online Christian Bookstores
(CAUTION! These bookstores were used to research,
compile, and update the MASTER LIST):
American Family
Association's Resource Center (currently closed)
http://www.americanfamilyresourcecenter.net/e/Bhome.asp
Association of Logos Bookstores: http://www.logosbookstores.com/
Berean Christian
Stores: http://www.berean.com/be/
Biblepal.com: http://www.biblepal.com
Books of the Bible Christian Bookstores: http://www.booksofthebible.com/
Books
For Christians: http://www.booksforchristians.com/
CD
Gospel.net http://www.cdgospel.net/
Christian
Book: http://www.christianbook.com
Christian
Book Network: http://www.christianbooknet.com/
Christian
Heritage Bookstore:
http://www.christianheritagebooks.com/
Christian
Pages http://www.christian-pages.com/
Cokesbury-Resources
for the Christian Journey: http://www.cokesbury.com/
Dalton's
Christian Bookstore:
http://www.parable.com/1865757/
Family
Christian Stores: http://www.familychristian.com
Grace
Unlimited: http://graceunlimited.christianbooknet.com/
Heritage
Christian Book Store
(Ontario, Canada) http://www.heritagecbs.com/
Koorong
Stores (Australia):
http://www.koorong.com.au/
Kregel
Christian Books & Resources: http://kregel.gospelcom.net/
Lemstone: http://shop1.lemstone.com/e/default.asp
Lifeline
Christian Books and Gifts: http://www.lifelinechristianbooks.com/
LifeWay
Christian Stores: http://www.lifewaystores.com
Lighthouse
Christian Stores
(not affiliated with Lighthouse Trails Publishing or Lighthouse Trails Research
Project): http://www.lighthousestores.com/
Mardel
Christian & Educational Supply: http://www.mardel.com/
Northwestern
Book Stores: http://www.nwbooks.com
Parable
Christian Stores:
http://www.parable.com
Spread
The Word: http://www.spreadtheword.com
TBM
BookManager (database provider) http://www.bookmanager.com/tbm/
3:16
Christian Bookstore:
http://www.e316.com/shop/home.asp
Word
Bookstores (Australia): http://www.word.com.au/
Word of
Life Christian Bookstores: http://www.shopwordoflife.com/
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED ON
CENTERING PRAYER, CHURCH GROWTH, CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY, EMERGING CHURCH,
LABYRINTH, MYSTICISM, PURPOSE DRIVEN:
Anonymous The Cloud of Unknowing
Liz Babbs
Ruth
Haley Barton
Rob Bell
Ken Blanchard see http://www.christianresearchservice.com/LeadingLikeJesus.htm
Troy Bronsink
Bernard of Clairvaux
Mike
Bickle
Marcus
Borg
Bob
Buford
Spencer
Burke
Tony
Campolo
Pierre
Teilhard de Chardin
St.
Catherine of Siena
Jim
Collins
Larry
Crabb
Mark
Driscoll
Tilden
Edwards
Meister
Eckhart
Richard
Foster
George
Fox
Ken Gire
Pete
Greig
Emilie
Griffin
Madame
Guyon
Hildegard
of Bingen
Judith
Hougen Transformed
Into Fire: An Invitation to Life in the True Self
Hannah
Hunard
Bill Hybels
Alan Jones
Ignatius
of Loyola
John of
the Cross
Jan
Johnson When the
Soul Listens, http://www.janjohnson.org
St. John
of the Cross
Laurie
Beth Jones
Tony
Jones
Julian
of Norwich
Thomas
Keating
Morton
Kelsey
Keri
Wyatt Kent Listen:
Finding God in the Story of Your Life
Sue Monk
Kidd
Dan
Kimball
William
Law
Brother
Lawrence
St.
Ignatius Loyola
Brian
McLaren (see http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/brianmclaren.htm. See also http://www.erwm.com/TheNewSpiritualFormation.htm )
Brennan
Manning
Gerald
May
Erwin
McManus
Thomas
Merton
Calvin
Miller
Don
Miller
Beth
Moore Be Still DVD (Has endorsed Emerging Church)
Wayne
Muller
David
J. Muyskens Forty
Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer
Henri
Nouwen
John
Ortberg The Life
You Always Wanted
Doug
Pagitt
Basil
Pennington
Eugene
Peterson
Gustave
Reininger
Tricia Rhodes
Maggie & Duffy Robbins
Richard Rohr
Richard Rolle
Philip
St. Romain
Thomas Ryan see NEW
AGE MOVEMENT category
Will
Sampson
Mark
Scandrette
Pete
Scazzero
Robert Schuller
Samir Selmanovic
Peter Senge
Chuck
Smith, Jr.
Dan
Southerland
Leonard
Sweet
John
Michael Talbot
St.
Teresa of Avila
Gary
Thomas
Patricia
Treece
Evelyn Underhill
Karen Ward
Rick Warren
Robert Webber
Dallas
Willard
Lauren
Winner
Mark
Yaconelli
Youth
Specialties
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED THAT ARE
CULTIC:
*Bookcraft and Deseret Book Company "In 1999,
Bookcraft was acquired by Deseret Book and is now an imprint of this
publisher." In turn, "Deseret Book is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Deseret Management Corporation, the holding company for business firms owned by
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Sources: http://mormonlit.lib.byu.edu/lit_publisher.php?p_id=10 and http://deseretbook.com.
Helen
Andelin Fascinating
Womanhood
Orson
Scott Card (Mormon)
James C.
Christensen
(Mormon)
Jack R.
Christianson
(Mormon)
Stephen
R. Covey (Mormon
author whose books promote Mormonism and the New Age)
Sheri L.
Dew (Mormon)
Dr.
James Duke The
Literary Masterpiece Called the Book of Mormon
Mary
Baker Eddy Science
and Health with Key to the Scriptures--Christian Science
Lynda J.
Eyre (Mormon)
Gillian
Gill (Biography on
Mary Baker Eddy)
Grant
Hardy The Book
of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Devan
Jensen (Mormon)
W.F. Walker Johanson (Mormon; What is Mormonism All About?: Answers
to the 150 Most Commonly Asked Questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints)
Greg
Johnson and Robert Millet Bridging The Divide: The Continuing Conversation Between
A Mormon And An Evangelical. Greg Johnson is a professing Christian and
the founder and president of Standing Together. Robert Millet, co-author of
this book, is a dedicated Mormon. For more information go to the Greg Johnson
and Robert Millet Research Page at http://www.christianresearchservice.com/GregJohnsonandRobertMillet.htm ).
Gerald N. Lund (Mormon)
Jack
Lyon (Mormon)
Michael
McLean (Mormon)
Robert
L. Miller (Mormon)
Robert. L. Millet (Mormon) A Different Jesus? The Christ of the Latter-Day
Saints. Go to
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/GregJohnsonandRobertMillet.htm
for
further information.
Jay Parry (Mormon)
Daniel
Peterson (Mormon; Muhammad:
Prophet of God)
Anne Osborn Poelman (Mormon)
Barbara
J. Porter (Mormon
author)
Robert
Vincent Remini
(Biography on Joseph Smith--Joseph Smith was the founder and first President/Prophet
of the Mormon Church)
Ed Smart, Lois Smart (Mormon; Bringing Elizabeth Home: A Legacy of Faith)
Joseph
Smith The Book
of Mormon (NUVISION Publishing)
Spirit of America (Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra)
Brad
Teare (Mormon)
Rick
Walton (Mormon)
Blaine
M. Yorgason
(Mormon)
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED THAT ARE
HERETICAL:
Orestes
Augustus Brownson Saint
Worship and the Worship of Mary: Why Devotion to the Saints Makes Sense)
Finis
Jennings Dake Dake's
Annotated Reference Bible. Please refer to Jeff Spancer's article,
"The Jesus of the Dake Annotated Reference Bible" at http://www.apologeticsindex.org/d47.html
Charles
Darwin (evolution, Autobiographies)
Meister
Eckhart (Pantheism)
Bart
Ehrman Misquoting Jesus:
The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why
Madame
Jeanne Guyon
Hannah
Hurnard (refer to http://www.pfo.org/high-pla.htm )
Gwen
Shamblin (denies
the Trinity)
John
Shelby Spong
Joseph
C. Sprague
Patricia
A. Williams Doing
Without Adam and Eve: Sociobiology and Original Sin
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED ON THE
NEW AGE MOVEMENT:
David
Aaron The
Kabbalah (an esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret)
Robert Aitken (Zen Buddhism)
Thomas
Aquinas
(Metaphysics)
Joan
Wester Anderson Where
Angels Walk
Anchor
Bay Entertainment (10-Minute
Solution DVD--promotes yoga)
Karen
Armstrong (Buddha)
Wilkie Au
Jim Ballard Little
Wave and Old Swell: A Fable of Life and its Passing. According to Ballard,
the book was "Inspired by Paramahansa Yogananda," a Hindu guru
and the founder of Self Realization Fellowship (http://www.littlewave.org/look.htm
). This book, and other books by Ballard, is endorsed by Ken Blanchard,
co-founder of the Lead Like Jesus movement. For further information on Ken
Blanchard and Lead Like Jesus, go to: http://www.christianresearchservice.com/LeadingLikeJesus.htm
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/researchtopics.htm#B
Willis
Barnstone
(Gnosticism/Kabbalah)
Melody
Beattie
Michael
Berg The
Kabbalah
Perle
Besserman The
Kabbalah
Emily
Bestler
Joel D.
Beversluis (The
Pluralism Project)
Ken
Blanchard (refer to
"Ken Blanchard and Lead Like Jesus")
Brooke
Boon Holy Yoga.
Also authored Hatha Yoga Illustrated
Susan
Bordenkircher Yoga
for Christians
Joan Borysenko (according to the Hoffman Institute, Borysenko is the
"Co-Founder and former Director of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at
Harvard University, President of Mind/Body
Health Sciences, Inc., and
Chair of the Hoffman Institute Advisory Board at
Fritz
Buri The
Buddha-Christ as the Lord of True Self
John
Bradshaw
Beverly F. Brandt The Mystic Reality of Christ Consciousness
Sylvia
Browne Sylvia
Browne's Book of Angels (Browne is a psychic who makes regular appearances
on the Montel Williams Show at http://www.montelwilliams.com/ ).
Christopher
Bryant
Beatrice
Bruteau
Roland
Buck Angels on
Assignment
Sophy
Burnham A Book
of Angels
Barbara
Calamari Holy
Cards
Kendra
Crossen Burroughs Skylight
Illuminations: The Bhagavad Gita
Julia
Cameron
Carole
Camp (Labyrinth)
G.T.
Candolini
(Labyrinth)
Peter A.
Campbell
Jack
Canfield Chicken
Soup for the Soul series. "In USA, we have a Christian fundamentalist
movement right now which is threatening other religions and I don't like it.
It's a religious revival which is intolerant, it creates separation, pain, and
is based on ignorance...What works for me is a combination of disciplines: I do
yoga, tai chi which is a Chinese martial art and three kinds of meditationvipasana,
transcendental and mantra (sound) meditation...I meditate every day and I do
something with my body every day: yoga or tai chi" (refer to the article,
"Choosing To Be Happy").
Noreen
Cannon
Lucia
Capacchione
Hal
Childs The Myth
of the Historical Jesus and the Evolution of Consciousness
Richard
Chilson
William
C. Chittick
Carol P.
Christ Weaving
the Visions: New Patterns in Feminist Spirituality
Carolyn
Chambers Clark
(Holistic Health)
Nancy
Clemens (Dolphin
Divination Cards)
Chas
Clifton The
Paganism Reader
Confucius The Analects
James. A
Conlon
Janice
T. Connell
David A.
Cooper
Pierre
Jean Cousin Facelift
at Your Fingertips (promotes acupressure and aromatherapy).
Stephen
R. Covey (Mormon
author whose books promote Mormonism and New Age principles)
Rosie
Daley, Oprah Winfrey
In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes
George
F. Dole
Wendy
Doniger The Laws
of Manu (Hinduism)
Larry
Dossey
Michael
Drosnin
Dr.
Wayne W. Dyer
Betty Eadie
Cheryl Evans Acting and Theater (promotes yoga)
Eknath Easwaran The Bhagavad Gita
Su Chin
Ee Creating
Bonsai Landscapes
Gary Egeberg
Lesley
Ehlers (Zen
Buddhism)
Mircea
Eliade Shamanism
Rita
Elkins Holistic
Health
Marie
Pierre-Emonet (Metaphysics)
Bruce G.
Epperly Reiki
Healing Touch and the Wat of Jesus
Perle
Epstein
W.Y.
Wentz-Evans The
Tibetan Book of the Dead
Timothy
J. Farnham
Martha
Fay Pocket
Saints: Virgin of Guadalupe with Cards and Other and Booklet
Norman
Fischer (Zen
Buddhism)
Karen
Baker-Fletcher
(Metaphysics)
Emmet
Fox
Matthew
Fox
Laurence
Freeman
Gregory
Fried (Metaphysics)
Dave
Fleming
Gary
Gach The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism
Paul
Galdone The
Monkey and the Crocodile: A Jakata Tale from India
Ivone
Gebara
(Eco-Feminism)
Heimer
Geirsson
(Metaphysics)
James E.
Goehring The
Tibetan Book of the Dead
Joel S
Goldsmith
Arthur
Goldwag (Kabbalah)
Daniel
P. Goleman
Deidre J.
Good Reconstructing
the Tradition of Sophia in Gnostic Literature
Tzivar
Gover Mindful
Moments for Streeful Days
Mary
Ford-Grabowski WomanPrayers
Dom
Alfred Graham
(Zen Buddhism)
John
Gray Secrets of
Passion: Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
Arthur
Green
Bede
Griffiths
Group Publishing (Labyrinth)
Ben
Gruagach The
Wiccan Mystic
GT
Media, USA The
Firm: Power Yoga
Jeffrey
D. Hamilton
(Holistic Health)
Robert
M. Hamma
Olav
Hammer
Gail M.
Harley Emma
Curtis Hopkins: Forgotten Founder of New Thought
Edward
Hays
(Labyrinth)
Richard
Hecht
Martin
Heidegger
(Metaphysics)
Steven
Heine (Zen Buddhism)
A.L.
Herman A Brief
Introduction to Hinduism
Eugen
Herrigel (Zen
Buddhism)
Hildegard
of Bingen
David Hinton (Tao Te Ching)
Eknath Easwaran The Bhagavad Gita
Lawrence
A. Hoffman
(Holistic Health)
George
Holbrook (Holistic
Health)
Eric
Hornung (Egyptian
Spirituality)
Aldous
Huxley
Moshe
Idel The
Kabbalah
Peter
Van Inwagen
(Metaphysics)
Lisa
Isherwood (British
Feminist, Celtic Spirituality; The Power of Erotic Celibacy and The Power of Erotic Celibacy: Queering
Heteropatriarchy)
Robert S
Ivker (Holistic
Health)
Carl T.
Jackson Vedanta
for the West (Hinduism)
Alan
Jacobs The
Bhagavad Gita: A Poetic Transcreation
Willigis
Jager
Gerald
Jampolsky
Sharon
Janis Spirituality
for Dummies
Maria
Jaoudi (Islam and
Christianity)
James
William Jones
(Buddhism/Psychotherapy)
John
Miriam Jones
(Celtic Spirituality)
Laurie
Beth Jones Jesus:
CEO; The Path; The Four Elements of Success
Michael
Jubien (Metaphysics)
Carl
Jung
Kakichi
Kadowaki (Zen
Buddhism)
Glin-Pa-Karma The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Paul
Kaufman
Richard
A. Kautz
(Labyrinth)
Zen
Master Keizan (Zen
Buddhism)
Stephen
R. Kellert
Karen L.
King Images of
the Feminine in Gnosticism
John
Kirvan
Klaus K.
Klostermaier Hinduism:
A Short Intro
Gary
Kraftsow Yoga
for Transformation: Ancient Teachings and Practices for Healing the Body, Mind,
and Heart
Katherine
Krohn Oprah
Winfrey (Oprah Winfrey is a New Ager)
Christian
Kuhn (Holistic
Health)
Aryeh
Kushner The
Kabbalah
Lawrence
Kushner (Kabbalah)
Ronald
Melvin Lawrence
(Holistic Health and Yoga)
Dali
Lama
Bentley
Layton The
Gnostic Gospels
Leo
Lefebure The
Buddha & the Christ: Explorations in Buddhist & Christian Dialogue
Kenneth
S. Leong (Zen
Buddhism)
Stephen
Levine
Scott C.
Littlejohn Shinto
John
Daido Loori (Zen
Buddhism)
Donald
S. Lopez, Jr. The
Tibetan Book of the Dead
Howard
Louthan (Labyrinth)
Joseph A. Loya The Tao of Jesus: An Experiment in Inter-Traditional
Understanding
Thia
Luby Children's
Book of Yoga: Games & Exercises Mimic Plants & Animals & Objects
Gerd Ludemann (Atheist)
Elaine
MacInnes (Zen
Buddhism)
Gailand
Macqueen
(Labyrinth)
Fiona
Maddocks
S.J.
Marshall The
Mandate of Heaven: Hidden History in the I-Ching
Nancy
Martin
Juan
Mascaro The Bhagavad
Gita; Dhammapada; The Upanishads
Daniel
Matt Essential
Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism
Benard
McGinn
Edwin M.
McMahon
G.R.S.
Mead Pistis
Sophia
Anthony
de Mello
(mysticism, self-realization)
Franz
Metcalf What
Would Buddha Do?
Marvin
Meyer The
Gnostic Gospels of Jesus
Moojan
Momen The
Baha'i Faith: A Short Introduction
Mary
Manin Morrissey
(New Thought)
K.
Mozumdar, Paul Tice The
Life and the Way: The Christian Yoga Metaphysics
Jon
Mundy
Wayne
Muller Touching
the Divine-Audiobook on Cassette
Carolyn
Myss
Philip J. Newell (Celtic Spirituality, New Age music)
Steve
Nichols The
Magical Writings of Ithell Colquhoun ("Many of Ithell's magical writings are collected and published
here for the first time, nearly 20 years after her death in 1988. There are a
series Tarot lectures that she gave to either the Golden Dawn, Masonic, OTO,
Druidic or Gnostic Orders in which she was ordained" (Cokesbury Christian
bookstore,
http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=595542 ).
Friedrich Nietzsche
John
O'Donohue
Wendy
Doniger O'Flatery The
Rig Veda (Hinduism/Sanskrit hymns)
Diane C.
Olson (Holistic
Health)
Elaine
Pagels The
Gnostic Gospels
Mahinda
Palihawadana The
Dhammapada: The Sayings of Buddha
Papus The Qabalah: Secret Traditions of the
West
Norman
Vincent Peale
(Positive Thinking)
M. Scott
Peck ( http://procinwarn.com/mscott.htm )
Joseph
Petulla (Tao Te
Ching)
Li Po (Ascended Masters)
Andrew
Ramer Angel
Answers: A Joyful Guide to Creating Heaven on Earth
Fr.
Anthony Randazzo Beatitudes,
Christ and the Practice of Yoga: A Sacred Log on Land and Sea
David
Steindl-Rast
John
Jacob Raub Who
Told You That You Were Naked? (based on the New Age manual, A Course
in Miracles)
Melinda
Ribner (Kabbalah)
Jabez
Richardson
(Freemasonry)
Anthony
(Tony) Robbins
Elisabeth
Ross (Holistic
Health)
Nancy
Roth (blends
Christianity with Yoga)
Ron Roth (see http://www.christianresearchservice.com/RonRothRevealed.htm )
Philip St.
Romain Kundalini
Energy and Christian Spirituality
Rosemary
Radford Ruether
(Feminism)
Joyce
Rupp
Thomas
Ryan Prayer of
Heart and Body: Meditation and Yoga as Christian Spiritual Practice
Leslie
Sansone (Yoga DVD)
Robert Schuller
S.M.
Scott Yin-Yang:
A Zen Guided Journal
Richard
Seidman The
Kabbalah
John B.
Severance Gandhi,
Great Soul
Arvind
Sharma Hinduism
for Our Times.
Beth
Shaw Yoga
Stretch for Fitness
Rupert
Sheldrake
Dr.
Bernie Siegal
Krishna
Silverman (Hindu
Spirituality)
Ninan
Smart
Peter
Smith (Baha'i)
Choan-Seng
Song Third-Eye
Theology
Ernest
Sosa (Metaphysics)
David
Spangler
Jonathan
Star (Tao Te Ching)
Brad
Steiger
Rudolph
Steiner
Walburga
Storch
Lucien
Stryk On Love
and Barley (Zen Buddhism)
William
C. Sturtevant
K.R.
Sundararajan (Hindu
Spirituality)
Sri
Purohit Swami The
Bhagavad Gita
Emanuel
Swedenborg
(Swedenborgism)
Leonard
Sweet Quantum
Spirituality
Jeremy
Taylor (Labyrinth)
Terry
Lynn Taylor Angel
Wisdom
John
Marks Templeton Wisdom
from World Religions: Pathways to Heaven on Earth (refer to http://www.letusreason.org/Curren40.htm
)
Marjorie
Thompson SOUL
FEAST (for further information, refer to Lighthouse Trails at http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?
Tide-Mark Press Yoga Journal Wall Calendar
June
Boyce-Tillman
Elisabeth
Tooker (Native
American Spirituality of Eastern Woodlands; sacred myths, rituals, formulas)
Lao Tsu (Tao Te Ching)
Mary
Evelyn Tucker
(Confucian Spirituality)
Ann
Belford Ulanov
Kerry
Walters
Alan Watts (Zen Buddhism)
Neale
Donald Walsch
Birell
Walsh Praying
for Others
Tu
Weiming (Confucian
Spirituality)
Andrew
Weil Breathing:
The Master Key to Self-Healing; audio book on cassette
Robert
Van de Weyer
(readings from Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism)
Ken
Wilber ("Each
of us still has to find a genuine contemplative practice-maybe yoga, maybe Zen,
maybe Shambhala Training, maybe contemplative prayer, or any number or
authentic transformative practices" (click HERE for source). Additional research at http://www.khandro.com/kenwilber/biblio.html ).
Jacqueline
A. Williams
(Gnosticism)
Raymond
Brady Williams An
Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism
Aryeh
Wineman (Kabbalah)
Terry
Cole-Whittaker
Leslie
Wines Rumi: A
Spiritual Biography
David
Gordon White
Tantra in Practice
Philip
Wilkinson & Peggy Morgan Eyewitness: Buddhism
Laibl
Wolf (Kabbalah)
Dale S. Wright (Zen Buddhism)
Paramahansa Yogananda Autobiography of a Yogi; The Yoga of Jesus:
Understanding the Hidden Teachings of the Gospel; Scientific Healing
Affirmations: Theory and Practice of Concentration; The Law of Success: Using
the Power of Spirit to Create Health, Prosperity, and Happiness
Yoga Zone; Music for Meditation
Ho Pen
Yoke (Astrology)
Serinity
Young An
Anthology of Sacred Texts by and About Women
Carol
Zaleski
Philip
Zaleski
Heinrich
Zimmer Philosophies
of India
Suzanne
Zuercher (Enneagram
Spirituality)
Gary
Zukav
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED ON
HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN, PRO-GAY, TRANSGENDERED:
Marilyn
Bennett Alexander We
Were Baptized Too: Claiming God's Grace For Lesbians and Gays
James
Alison Faith
Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay
Rebecca
T. Alpert Lesbian
Rabbis
Marcella
Althaus-Reid Indecent
Theology: Theological Perversions in Sex, Gender and Politics
Cathy
Ann Anderson Challenges
and Changes (male-to-female transsexual)
Bruce
Bawer A Place
at the Table: The Gay Individual in American Society
Alice
Ogden Bellis Science,
Scripture, and Homosexuality
Jon L.
Berquist Called
Out With: Stories of Solidarity-In Support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Trangendered Persons (according to the description at Booksamillion.com,
"This is an
edited work of stories from Westminster John Knox Press written by
heterosexuals in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered persons
who desire opportunities for leadership within the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)."
Mindy
Blaise Playing
It Straight: Uncovering Gender Discourse in the Early Childhood Classroom
Donald
L. Boisvert Out
on Holy Ground: Meditations on Gay Men's Spirituality
Mary
Borhek Coming Out
to Parents: A Two-Way Survival Guide for Lesbians and Gay Men and Their Parents
Timothy
Brown (co-authored
book, Coming Out Young and Faithful, with Leanne McCall Tigert)
Edward
Carpenter Pagan
and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning
Richard
Cleaver Know My
Name: A Gay Liberation Theology
Gary
David Comstock Gay
Theology Without Apology
Randy P.
Conner Queering
Creole Spiritual Traditions
Emmanuel
Cooper The
Sexual Perspective: Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West
L. William
Countryman Gifted
by Otherness: Gay and Lesbian Christians in the Church
Page
DuBois Sappho
Is Burning
Geoffrey
Duncan Courage
to Love: Liturgies for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community
Marvin
Mahan Ellison Same-Sex
Marriage: A Christian Ethical Analysis
James L.
Empereur Spiritual
Direction and the Gay Person
Tim
Fleming Holy
Bible: New Testament and God's New Law (this is a Bible for
the homosexual community. Fleming claims to receive revelations from
God, and maintains that "If you are gay, get married. Buy rings
for each other. Make wedding vows, and ceremonies in your own homes"
("The Journal," p. 666). On pages 667-668, Fleming states: "On
August 20th, 2004, on the way home from work, God increased sanctions on the
Church. He declared that testimony from the old law (i.e. the Bible Old
Testament/New Testament) will not longer be considered in his high court
because his New Law has been declared."
Daniel
Gebhardt I Am
One Walking Beside Me: Meditations of an HIV Positive Gay Man
Chris Glaser (refer to Glaser's Bio and Books at www.chrisglaser.com )
Peter
Gomes (homosexual,
pro-gay activist)
Robert E.
Goss Take Back
The Word: A Queer Reading of the Bible
Larry
Kent Graham Discovering
Images of God: Narratives of Care Among Lesbians and Gays
Eryk Hanut The Road to Guadalupe and The
Blessings of Guadalupe. According to this website ( http://www.soulfulliving.com/relics_and_keepsakes.htm ),
Hanut "lives in Nevada with his husband Andrew Harvey and his two cats
Puli and Princey."
Andrew
Harvey (see
list of books at http://www.andrewharvey.net/books.html. According to this website ( http://www.soulfulliving.com/sun_at_midnight.htm ), Harvey is "Married to writer and photographer Eryk
Hanut."
Mary Ann
Hastings A
Woman and a Homosexual Man: The Good Thunder in My Life: A Testimony and
Workbook for Women Who Love Homosexual Men
Daniel
A. Helminiak What
the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality
Thomas
Marland Horner Jonathan
Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times
Paul
King Jewett Man
as Male and Female
Jeffrey
Lea For Another
Flock: Daily Advent and Christmas Meditations for Gay and Lesbian Christians
Sara
Maitland
Dugan
McGinley Acts
of Faith, Acts of Love: Gay Catholic Autobiographies as Sacred Texts
John
McNeill (refer to http://www.johnjmcneill.com/AUTHOR.HTML ).
Dalyn
Miller The
Quotable Queer: Fabulous Wit & Wisdom from the Gays, the Straights and
Everybody In-Between
Tara L.
Molina God's
Other Children; A Spiritual Journey in Gay Life
Virginia
Ramey Mollenkott
(lesbian activist, www.geocities.com/vrmollenkott )
Henri
Nouwen (according to Michael Ford's book, Wounded
Prophet: A Portrait of Henri J.M. Nouwen, Nouwen struggled with homosexuality
since the age of six (p. 73).
Mary
Oliver Thirst
Dennis
O'Neill Passionate
Holiness: Marginalized Christian Devotions for Distinctive Peoples
Michal
Anne Pepper Reconciling
Journey: A Devotional Workbook for Lesbian and Gay Christians
Norm
Pott Called Out
With: Stories of Solidarity-In Support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Trangendered Persons
(according to the description at Booksamillion.com, "This is an edited work
of stories from Westminster John Knox Press written by heterosexuals in support
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered persons who desire opportunities
for leadership within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)."
James
Preston We Were Baptized Too: Claiming God's Grace For Lesbians and
Gays
Paula
Ressler Dramatic
Changes: Talking about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity with High School
Students Through Drama
M.R.
Ritley Gifted by
Otherness: Gay and Lesbian Christians in the Church
Jack
Rogers Jesus, the
Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church (the Description reads, "In this
sure-to-be controversial book, former seminary professor and church official
Jack Rogers argues unequivocally for the ordination of homosexuals and for the
extension of full and equal rights in society to all people who are
homosexual").
Will
Roscoe Jesus
and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-Sex Love
Chloe
Ann Rounsley True
Selves: Understanding Transsexualism-For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and
Helping Professionals
Letha
Dawson Scanzoni (co-authored
Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? with Virginia Ramey Mollenkott)
Alberto
Shavo Finding
the Real Me: True Tales of Sex and Gender Diversity
David W.
Shelton The
Rainbow Kingdom: Christianity & the Homosexual Reconciled
Vanessa
Sheridan ( Male-to-female
crossdresser; co-authored
Transgendered Journeys with Virginia Ramey Mollenkott; also authored Crossing
Over: Liberating the Transgendered Christian and Cross Purposes: On
Being Christian and Crossgendered. According to his website, Sheridan is a
"corporate speaker and America's leading authority on transgender in the
workplace" who "helps business leaders meet their informational
needs" ( http://www.vanessasheridan.com/ ).
Michelangelo
Signorile Outing
Yourself: How to Come Out as Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and
Coworkers
William
George Storey A
Book of Prayer for Gay and Lesbian Christians
William
Stringfellow (refer
to the article, "Same-sex marriage and sacramental unity").
Tom
Swicegood Our
God Too
David
Toussaint Gay and
Lesbian Weddings: Planning the Perfect Same-Sex Ceremony
Maurine
C. Waun More
Than Welcome: Learning to Embrace Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered
Persons in the Church
Joe
Webber The
Complete Guide to Gay & Lesbian Weddings
Ann
Wells I'm Home:
What It's Like to Love a Woman
Mel
White Stranger
at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America; Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden
Dangers of the Christian Right (Mel White is the founder of Soulforce.
Refer to his Bio at http://www.soulforce.org/article/11 ).
Sally
Lowe Whitehead
Johanna
Van Wijk-Bos (co-authored
Called Out With: Stories of Solidarity-In Support of Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Trangendered Persons)
Walter
Wink Homosexuality
and Christian Faith: Questions of Conscience for the Churches
AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO BE AVOIDED ON WORD-FAITH, NEW APOSTOLIC MOVEMENT,
KINGDOM NOW, MANIFEST SONS OF
GOD, LATTER RAIN, FALSE HEALING, FALSE PROPHETS, FALSE TEACHERS:
John Avanzini
Reinhard
Bonnke
William
Branham (denied the Trinity)
Rodney
Howard-Browne
Paul
Cain
Charles Capps
Morris
Cerullo
Paul Yongi
Cho
Kim
Clement
Kenneth
Copeland
Dennis
Cramer (refer to
"Dennis Cramer: The 'Nervous' Prophet" and
"Letter to Dennis Cramer-Part 2" and "Letter to Dennis Cramer-Part 3").
Paul
Crouch
Finis
Jennings Dake
Jack
Deere
Creflo
Dollar
Jesse
Duplantis
Richard
Foster
Francis
Frangipane
Ted
Haggard
Kenneth
Hagin
Bill
Hamon
Marilyn
Hickey
Steve
Hill
Benny
Hinn (refer to http://www.christianresearchservice.com/Benny_Hinn.htm )
Charles
& Frances Hunter
Bill
Hybels/Willow Creek
Cindy
Jacobs
T.D.
Jakes
T.B.
Joshua
Rick
Joyner
E.W. Kenyon
John
Kilpatrick
Joyce
Meyer
Miles
Munroe
Steve
Munsey
Mike
Murdock
Joel
Osteen
George
Otis, Jr.
Rod
Parsley
Earl
Paulk
Frederick
K.C. Price
Oral
Roberts
Pat Robertson
Jerry
Savelle
Dutch
Sheets
Don
Stewart
Tommy
Tenney
C. Peter
Wagner
There may be a few you don't know about that we need to avoid if we are to "mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." (Ro 16:17)
John and Paula Sandford.
The Sandfords have been around for decades. But they are still pitching their inner healing wares. They employ a combination of the pantheist inner healing teaching of Agnes Sanford (their mentor) and the Freudian and Jungian deep hidden unconscious. Forgotten and hidden "biker roots" in the subconscious need to accessed by visionary and imaginative means. These hidden traumas presently hinder peoples with unexplainable thoughts and impulses. The irony is that Freudian theory has generally been discredited in secular psychology. Already in 1993 E. Fuller Torrey wrote a book entitled The Freudian Fraud. Reviewing the evidence, Torrey found no credible evidence of Freud's theory of the hidden unconscious. Nevertheless, for the Sandfords, these hidden "biker roots" can stem from prenatal traumas or even experiences that originate from ancestral sins. The Sandford's see this procedure as the only sanctification that will work. This procedure they feel was divinely revealed to them in these last days to prepare the church for the last days. This accounts for their inclusion in Wagner's New Apostolic Council. For the Sandfords, conscious conversion only goes mind deep. The hidden heart must be revealed by visionary and imaginative means and then brought to the cross. Because they see Jesus death as always present and timeless, a believer is always in the process of being converted. The Sandford's admit that they were taught and mentored by Agnes Sanford (no relation). They were obviously influenced by Agnes's pantheism. In their first book The Elijah Task p. 135 the Sandfords write: "There is a sea in which the Spirit of God, The Father and the Son and all creation and angels exist. The being of God is one spirit in which everything moves and has its being. Spirit and matter are one..." The Sanford's, however, vehemently reject the term pantheist. Actually it is a close variant and first cousin of pantheism called panentheism, which is currently being espoused by the contemplative movement. The Sandfords take this a step further and assert that all matter is not only divine but has personality and a will. This should be called "animism" as found in pagan and primitive peoples. This enables them to communicate with plants. John S says:
"Jesus spoke to a plant and it withered. You know, that plant could understand what he said to it." (A Transcript of an Evening with John and Paula Sandford Feb. 25, 1987, p. 57).
This teaching also allows them to believe that spirits of departed people hang around for a period of time and can inhabit believers. John gives testimony of casting out the spirit of one already dead from a living person. (An Evening... An Appendix, B-l ). The possibility of a toxic reaction from these teachings seems high. The Sandfords have actually been taken to court over the side-affects of their teachings in families.
Larry Crabb
Larry Crabb is a leading Christian psychologist, author, bible teacher and seminary professor. He has written many best-selling books and is the founder of New Way Ministries. He has written over 40 books. His most well known books were entitled Inside Out and Finding God. His most recent book is entitled The Papa Prayer. Crabb, now, has come to espouse contemplative prayer and sees it as replacing his former teaching of psychological therapy. In a 2003 article in Christianity Today called A Shrink Gets Stretched, the writer makes the following remark: "Christian Counselor and popular author Larry Crabb took the trouble to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. But now he believes that in today's church, therapy should be replaced by another, more ancient practice - spiritual direction"'. This ancient practice he identifies in other places as contemplative prayer. A year before the CT article came out, Crabb wrote the forward for David Benner's book Sacred Companions. In this forward Crabb wrote
"The spiritual climate is ripe. Jesus seekers across the world are being prepared to abandon the old way of the written code for the new way of the spirit."
Bernner writes of the panentheistic views (God is in all things) of Merton, Henri Nouwen, Basil Pennington and several others. For Crabb to write this forward leaves no doubt about his views. His latest book is nothing more than a union of mysticism and psychology and his insights spring from his contemplative experiences. In The Papa Prayer he states:
"I've practiced centering prayer, I've contemplatively prayed... I've benefited from each and I still do. In ways you'll see in elements of each style that are still with me." (Papa Prayer, p. 9).
Crabb should know the centering prayer and the contemplative are essentially synonyms. Crabb’s preference was made clear when he recalled that his wife liked to read People magazine and he preferred Merton (perhaps the most read contemplative). It is my view that the contemplative prayer technique, based on the monastic desert fathers of the 14th century (who borrowed from eastern mystics and their panentheistic worldview), is not only not biblical but also toxic to the soul. The panentheistic worldview that accompanies the contemplative short-circuits absolutely necessary biblical truths. "The God is in all his creation" view of panentheism requires that all God's creation is an embedded with God's Spirit. This negates the biblical teaching of original sin of unregenerate people and thus also renders the substitutionary death of Jesus unnecessary. Furthermore if God's Spirit resides in all creation then it follows that Satan must partake of divinity as well. It's no accident then, that the death of Jesus and Satan are basically ignored in contemplative writings
Tony Compolo
Tony Compolo is a well known author and public speaker. He is invited by HIM here to Hawaii almost every year for the HIM conference. Beginning in 1980 he has authored more than 40 books. He has always been on the cutting edge and somewhat controversial as some of his book titles suggest. Already in 1982, he wrote 20 Hot Potatoes Christians are Afraid to Touch. In 1991 he authored How to be Pentecostal Without Speaking in Tongues. He has recently published Speaking My Mind and Letters to Young Evangelicals. Some of his writings and speaking have skirted close to evangelical boundaries and many would say he crossed many boundaries. He is currently professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University in St. David's Pennsylvania. He is also a frequent speaker in conferences and bible colleges. Compolo's wife Peggie is even more adventurous and is a gay-rights activist. Compolo was the subject of an informal heresy hearing in 1985 brought about by several assertions in his 1983 book A Reasonable Faith. At issue was his claim that Jesus is actually present in every living person. This controversy caused Campus Crusade for Christ and Youth for Christ at that time to block a planned speaking engagement. (Wilkipedia). Compolo has most recently co-authored a book with Albert Darling entitled The God of Intimacy and Action. The intimacy they refer to is experiencing God by engaging in ancient spiritual mysticism. The authors suggest that social action can best be the result of a joining of mysticism and social awareness. Some other provocative Compolo quotes include:
"Beyond the models of
reconciliation, a theology of mysticism provides some hope for common ground
between Christianity and Islam. Both religions have within their histories
examples of ecstatic union with God....I do not know what to make of the Muslim
mystics, especially those who have become known as Sufis. What do they
experience in their mystical experiences? Could they have encountered the same
God we do in Christian mysticism?" (Speaking My Mind, p. 149,150).
“I am saying that there is no
salvation apart from Jesus; that's my evangelical mindset. I am not convinced
that Jesus only lives in
Christians." (National Liberty Journal, 8/99).
“Going to heaven is like going
to Philadelphia...there are many ways." (Carpe Diem -seizing the Day,
1994).
'”In the morning I don't ask
God for anything. Instead I center down on Jesus. I say His name over and over
again for as long as 15 minutes, until I find my soul suspended in what the
ancient Celtic Christians called 'a thin place" - a place, a state where
the boundary between heaven and earth, divine and human dissolves. You could
say I use the name of Jesus as a koan (a koan is an eastern religious practice
that results in a shock to the rational mind used by ancient Zen masters).
(Lighthouse Trails web site)
Gary Thomas
Gary Thomas in his book Sacred Pathways (Zondervan, 2002) lists centering prayer as among the different ways people can use to draw near to God. He describes centering prayer as:
"... in general, centering prayer works like this: choose a
word (like Jesus, Father for example) as a focus for contemplative prayer.
Repeat the word silently for say 20 minutes until your heart seems to be repeating
the word by itself, just as naturally and involuntarily as breathing."
(Ray Yungen, A Time of Departing, p. 152).
Focus on the Family actively promotes Thomas's book Sacred Parenting. FOF was contacted about their support of Thomas. Tim Masters, FOF office of the chairman, replied:
"We found nothing within
the pages of Sacred Parenting that contradicts the Christian Faith or Dr.
Dobson's philosophy... We are not in a position to address the contents of Mr.
Thomas's other writings. But this much we can tell you: there has always been a
strong tradition of contemplative prayer in the Christian church that has
nothing to do with mantra's and eastern meditation." (Lighthouse Trails).
This reply is troubling. First his distinction between Christian and eastern contemplative is not really accurate. Most of the Christians authors who promote contemplative prayer, with few exceptions, include mantras as does Gary Thomas in his book Sacred Pathways. For the distinction between Christian and eastern contemplatives, none other than Tilden Edwards, the founder of the largest and most influential contemplative school in the U.S., asserts in his book Spiritual Friends:
" that
contemplative prayer is the western bridge to far eastern spirituality."
Richard Foster indorses Tilden's book as an excellent book. (Lighthouse Trails). In Thomas's book Sacred Parenting, which FOF does directly promote, Thomas leaves no doubt that Teresa of Avila had a major impact on his prayer life. But Teresa of Avila is a classic expression of 14th and 15th century contemplative and she practiced centering prayer. In the website, Centering Prayer, dedicated to promoting centering prayer they assert:
"Centering Prayer is
drawn from ancient prayer practices of the Christian contemplative heritage
notably the Fathers and Mothers of the Desert, The Cloud Of Unknowing, St. John
of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. It was distilled into a simple method of
prayer in the 1970's by three Trappist monks: Fr. William Meninger, Fr. Basil
Pennington and Abbot Thomas Keating at the Trappist Abbey, St. Joseph's Abbey
in Spencer, Mass." (Centering Prayer Website).
These three monks actively relied on visiting Buddhists to coach them. Tim Masters reply seems like a "political response" from FOF relying on a difference that isn't a difference.
Brian McLaren
There are many Emerging Church authors to avoid in Christian bookstores, among them Richard Foster, Brennan Manning, Leonard Sweet, Doug Pagitt, Dan Kimball, Rick Warren, Ken Blanchard and Brian McLaren. McLaren is the poster-child and the unofficial spokesperson for the Emergent Movement who say they are evangelicals and apparently are being accepted as evangelicals. The Emergent Movement would require many pages to explain and we don't have the space here. McLaren, however, is invited to evangelical conferences. He recently spoke at Willow Creek. Among his most read books are A Generous Orthodoxy and the New Kind of Christian Trilogy. The Emergent Village as the evangelical emergents call themselves have generally adopted a robust postmodern epistemology (how you know things). Because Postmodernists reject the idea of propositional truth, most emergents promote a mystical faith without the necessity of absolute truth claims. McLaren and others in the emergent group, however, have found wide acceptance in evangelical circles. McLaren's new book is Everything Must Change and he is currently on national tour announcing that message and what he calls the "Deep Shift." The most serious claim of McLaren is his denial of the substitutionary death of Jesus. Recently he made his depreciating views of the cross more specific:
"The cross isn't the
center then. The cross is almost a distraction and false advertising for God...
God doesn't say forgive' your wife and then go kick the dog' to vent your
anger... The common understanding of the atonement presents a God who is
incapable of forgiving unless He kicks someone else." (From Slice of
Laodicea).
McLaren has endorsed the back cover of Reimaging Christianity by Alan Jones. Alan Jones openly repudiates biblical Christianity. Jones speaks of imaging the child Jesus sitting on Buddha's lap. He also rejects the death of Jesus as a saving act and sees it as a vindictive act. (Jones, p. 132). Apparently this is no problem to McLaren for he gives Jones's a ringing endorsement:
"Alan Jones is a pioneer
in re-imaging a Christian faith that emerges from authentic spirituality. His
work stimulates and encourages me deeply." (Quoted from the back cover).
I used to lament that the cross was gradually being marginalized and widely ignored in evangelical circles. Now authors with unchallenged credentials as evangelicals are accepted and invited all over evangelicalism not only denying the sacrificial death of Jesus, but doing it in a vulgar way. The core of the gospel (the cross of Christ) has not only been hollowed out but now a pagan and foreign mystical fraud has been inserted in its place. So if you go to your local Christian bookshop, be warned that among all the good materials and also harmless trite offerings there lurks actual poison for the soul.
CONCLUSION
If you want a master list of books, videos and other materials to avoid, I have that on my site:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/masterlist.html
Paul Proctor of News With Views sums it up nicely this way:
Want a shock? Go to your
favorite Christian website, more specifically, to the page where they sell
books. Type the names of known heretics and false teachers into the site's
search engine; names of authors from the church growth movement, emerging
church movement, Word Faith movement and even the New Age and see what pops up
on the screen for sale. Brace yourself though, because you're probably going to
be surprised. Believe it or not, some Christian bookstores are even selling the
published works of homosexuals, pagans and occultists!
The situation regarding Christian bookstores has become dire. There are still some Christian bookstores who are not stocking heretical books and books promoting worldly sinful agendas. But you have to look hard to find them. One of the biggest booksellers around, CBD, not only sells heretical books but, by in large, gives them top billing. Why? You guessed it. The bottom line is Money! They have sold their opportunity to be a witness to the world for worldly profit. This has been slowly deteriorating for decades. I had a friend who was a distributing agent for Sparrow Records and other Christian labels to bookstores. He told me in the 1980s that he was really disgusted with most Christian bookstores because they labeled themselves as being a “ministry” then turned around and sold their wares for far more than secular stores. This is still happening today. You can usually get a better price from non-Christian book outlets like Amazon.
Christians are to mark and avoid false teachers and are not to even have them in their homes.
2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring
this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.
Of course in the first century this was applicable to house churches which was all they had at that time. But buying a book or video or watching a TV show is no less "taking them into your house" and "welcoming them". When teachers depart from the teachings of the apostles and Jesus Christ we are to get away from them. Sheep flee from a stranger's voice. You should do the same.
John 10:5 But they will never
follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not
recognize a stranger's voice."