It's Friday night and here I sit. I was going to take the kiddies to the drive-in, but they backed out at the last minute. Laura told me I could still go, but I told her there's probably not too many things more pathetic than a grown man alone at a drive-in. At least that's how I felt then. Now I'm regretting my decision. Oh well. I've got better things to do than go out and watch a movie based on an 80s kids' cartoon.
Or I'll think of some.
5 comments:
Scott - thanks again for the info. I have found a website that confirms what you said about the SR book. I took the name off the BLOG b/c I definitely do not want to promote it. I'll be doing more research but the concerning thing is that there is a contemplative prayer movement happening. In ALL churches. Very frightening! thanks again -
PS - interestingly enough, the website I looked at had positive reviews on Harry Potter. thank - r
The website is lighthouseresearch.com Let me know if you find anything else. I have found the reading very concerning especially some of the names that are linked with this "new" way to pary!!??!! Oh, I think the review of HP was not as positive from them as I thought. Anyway, more input from you is welcome. You are very discerning!
I personally don't like the site, Robin. They sound extremely fundamentalist and, unfortunately, they're grossly misinformed. It sounds as if they think the only thing a Christian needs to be about is door-to-door evangelization (or thereabouts) and condemn everything from the emerging conversation to, as you said, Harry Potter. (Not that a good Christian can't condemn Harry Potter ...)
I agree with what they say about centering prayer, except that they continually call it contemplative prayer. I can't emphasize the following enough: Contemplative prayer is not centering prayer. They're different things entirely, and I would suggest that most Christians have never experienced contemplative prayer, it's a gift from God that is more the fruit of a long, intense and devout prayer life than it is something you can learn to do in six easy steps for $19.95.
They also speak out against lectio divina which they either completely misunderstand or have been misinformed about. Or, again, think it's a distraction from evangelizing their neighborhood grocer.
Lectio divina is not centering prayer, though it appears that some have linked the two. Lectio is meditative prayer, the only purpose of which is to meditate upon the Scriptures. To use it as a way to "center" oneself misappropriates and misunderstands the prayer.
Not surprisingly they condemn the Catholic Church, the favorite whipping boy of most such groups. We do worship bread, after all.
Sorry, sometimes I get a little sarcastic when I get riled. Maybe I need to keep that clicker away from the "publish" button while I cool. I read a couple of items off the site and they sent me over the edge. My apologies.
The only sites that I have found that differentiate between contemplative prayer and centering prayer are Catholic or Orthodox. Even many of them confuse the two.
We want to know God. We want to experience Him. Only "knowing God" is not something we do in an afternoon. And that is what centering prayer tries to achieve - it is like a spiritual Tower of Babel - constructing our own way to God.
Prayer is theology.
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