For a worldview to be valid it must be true to its own presuppositions.
In my opinion, a worldview is only worth following if those who follow it do not compromise it. Not all worldviews are correct, that is my view since my own worldview denies the plausibility of compatibility. Therefore, the raging of this post is not against other worldviews; Mine is an Unorthodox Christian worldview, which is growing more and more Orthodox as I seek understanding. Other worldviews, to include Atheistic Naturalism and Wahabi (Orthodox) Islam, are to me valid. Notice, I did not call them right, merely valid. As worldviews, they are still to be considered valid because as a whole, each one is not compromised for the sake of unity, or some other silly postmodern notion.
With that being said, we come to the main point of my rant: I have recently been exposed to some hyper-Charismatic thinking, and find it quite heretical. Granted, I am unsure whether to judge my findings as a part of the whole, or federally. It should at least say that in judging what I have seen in part, it is heresy. Reading and watching YouTube videos concerning Benny Hinn, and his new accomplice "The Prophet" Manasseh Jordan, I am sickened by the degree of success they have attained in gathering followers. Looking at Manasseh Jordan's website, I was utterly convinced that he is extremely self-serving and self-promoting. I am forced to accept that this fame and success should be expected: After all, it is easy to gain followers when you tell them what they want to hear, showing them miraculous signs and 'healing' them in front of thousands. I saw with my own eyes as Manasseh Jordan forcibly knocked a man to the ground, 'healing' him as he was slain in the Spirit. Oh, how Alexander III would start the fires if he saw the heresy going on today...
As a part of this rambling rant on worldview, heresy, and hyper-Charismatics, we need to look at how this movement is a self-destroying worldview, and should not be legitimized as a possibility of rightness. It is at best, utter Unorthodoxy, but borders on heresy with it's quick and easy compromises of Christian doctrine and Biblical authority. Returning to Manasseh Jordan, I have read from a reliable source, Christian Research Service, which explores the degree of syncretism practiced by his father, E. Bernard Jordan (who mocks the title of 'Bishop'). Among his claims is the idea of the Charkas of the human body being independent gateways to God, a crossover from Hindu belief. This is but one of many sycretistic claims made by televangelists and hyper-Charismatics. Another testing-point for my patience is the extreme to which God's omnipresence has been carried. As I understand it, the logic of the hyper-Charismatic is such:
- God is present in everything.
- I am a part of everything.
- God is present in me.
4. Since God is present in me, he is me.
5. I am God, or can become God.
Say what? This goes against the Christian worldview in it's entirety, whether it be Orthodox or Unorthodox. A part of the Christian worldview is the view of God as prime reality, not of the self as prime reality. This is not the Christian worldview! I'm sorry hyper-Charismatics, but if you believe this, then please cease to consider me as a sharer of your worldview. Better to hold firmly to a wrong worldview than to hold to a compromising one.
Expect more on worldview, it's kind of my thing at the moment.
An update on me: Pipe-smoking sucks, not doing that again.
You are so intelligent :)
ReplyDeleteIt is true, though, what's the point of claiming a worldview if you're just going to make acceptions? There's no point in it, because it's obviously not one someone would want to stand firm on.
(i love you :P)