X-Organization: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, USA
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Importance: SEMASSU.EDU was changed to UMASSD.EDU on Aug 10, 1991
Priority: SEMASSU.BITNET was changed to UMASSD.BITNET on Oct 10, 1991
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Mon, 13 Apr 1992 09:22:00 EDT
Comments:     A VAX cluster with VMS V5.4-2, PMDF V3.2-19,
              JNET V3.5 & UCX V1.3A
From:         LIZ MOREAU <EMOREAU@UMASSD.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Feminist theology/little god movement

*********
WARNING:  If you have heard my guided imagery/visualization spiel in
CCD classes, please use your delete key now.

*********

>If your church is practicing guided imagery and visualization, GET OUT
>OF IT!   Those things are demonic and dangerous.  I don't want to appear
>hysterical, but the practices you mention are occultic tools that I
>once used to draw Christians away from their own faith.

Let me give you some background here.  My husband and I were born and
raised Catholics.  I even went to Catholic schools (another story) for
eight years.  We both fell away for approximately 10 years and then
decided we did need God in our lifes.  My husband would only go back
to regular church attendance if we went Catholic, so for the sake of
our family worshiping together I agreed, with the promise that we
would 'shop around' for a Catholic church I felt comfortable in.

We have been at our present church for about 7.5 years.  Three years
ago I decided to help out and teach catechism classes.  The first year
I taught I had first graders.  The second year I opted for older
students who I could have some interaction with.  I was assigned 7th
graders.  The course was run in three sections, each having different
books.  One was on the church, one was on prayer and I forget what the
last one was.

As I looked over the teacher's manual on prayer I was shocked.  It
included exercises on guided imagery, visualization, centering,
mantras and praying in the lotus position.  The children didn't have
ANY of this in their take home books except for a page or two on
mantras.  Therefore parents were not aware of what was being taught to
their kids.  Teacher notes stressed the importance of dimming the
lights, having the children in their lotus position for all exercises
and playing soft instrumental music in the background.  It was also
pointed out very strongly that the teacher should make sure to bring
the kids out of this slowly!!

Actually, I was very hurt to see this material and very upset that a
church I was proud of was doing this.  I spoke for several hours with
the Religious Ed Coordinator who thought I was hysterical (I probably
was) and we really didn't see eye to eye.  According to her, she finds
praying in the yoga position very rewarding and our priest also does
this on occasion and even a leading member of the parish uses this
consistently (as if I would be impressed!).  Another argument for it
was the monks used these practices and they were very devoted.  She
suggested I read books by Father Anthony DeMello.  I declined.  They
use his video tapes before bible studies and I've never been
comfortable with his theology.  He is a former Hindu who converted to
Catholism and is espousing many of his Hindu techniques.

My husband and I sat down and wrote a letter to our pastor expressing
our outrage and horror.  We met with him and were given the same
excuses and more or less patted on the head and sent on our way.  I
did inform them I would not teach this to my students and prepared a
session on prayer myself to present.  They also agreed not to teach
this material to seventh graders, but would not agree to stop teaching
it.

Several months later, they started 'Small Faith Communities' which is
small groups of people who meet in homes to further their study into
the Bible.  After looking at the sample two-year presentation, it also
includes these techniques I object to.  First, they get the students,
then they slowly get the parents.

Why do we stay?  This whole thing has turned my husband into a 'Sunday
Christian'.  He is now content to go to church once a week and not get
involved in anything.  I'd appreciate everyone's prayers on this!

>Also, when I was on the worship committee in my congregation, we got
>into a tremendous fight when we were planning a series on the trinity.
>Some people wanted to present it as "Parent, Child, and Spirit of God,"
>rather than "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."  The traditionalists prevailed,
>and we got an excellent sermon on why females are indluded in the Biblical
>meaning of "sonship".

Good for you!

                                        Liz
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