The New Baptist Covenant, an alliance of over 30
Baptist organizations, hosted the
2008 Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant conference which began January
30th. A luncheon was to be held with guest speaker, Al Gore. Other speakers at
the event included
Tony Campolo and former presidents Bill Clinton (keynote speaker) and Jimmy
Carter (the founder of the New Baptist Covenant).
Former presidential candidate, Al Gore, is a popular speaker and author on
environmental issues. What many may not know is he is also a promoter of New Age
thought. Research analyst Ray Yungen explains:
"It would surprise many Americans to know that they actually voted for a New
Age sympathizer for president of the United States in the 2000 election. In
a Time magazine article in 2003 called 'Just Say Om,' former presidential
candidate, Al Gore, said the following about meditation: 'We both [he and
his wife] believe in regular prayer, and we often pray together. But
meditation--as distinguished from prayer--I highly recommend it.'
"One might argue that perhaps Gore was not referring to mystical type
meditation and that he didn't have any such proclivities, but this notion
would be put to rest by his endorsement of a book (Marriage of Sense and
Soul) by
Ken Wilber, a leading figure in the New Age. On the back cover of the
book, Gore proudly proclaimed Wilber's book is 'one of my new favorites.'
New Ager
Neale Donald Walsch publicly revealed Gore's spiritual sympathies in the
following comments he made at the Humanity's Team Leadership Gathering in
2003:
"You know Al Gore. I know Al well and he says to me,
'Hey Neale, I used
to be the next president of the United States.' Al has read my books and
loves them, but he can't possibly say that publicly.... He should be
able to, and in the society we're going to recreate he will be able to,
but right now he can't." (1)
For those not familiar with Walsch's work, this may not seem that
significant. But Walsch is the author of the Conversations with God books,
in which millions of copies have been sold. His books are the supposed
conversations between Walsch and "God." Walsch's "God" proclaims:
"The twenty-first century will be the time of awakening, of meeting The
Creator Within. Many beings will experience Oneness with God.... There
are many such people in the world now--teachers and messengers, Masters
and visionaries--who are placing this vision before humankind and
offering tools with which to create it. These messengers and visionaries
are the heralds of a New Age. There is only one message that can change
the course of human history forever, end the torture, and bring you back
to God. That message is The New Gospel: WE ARE ALL ONE." (from For
Many
Shall Come in My Name, 2nd ed., pp. 55-56)
The 30 plus Baptist organizations that are part of the New Baptist Covenant
represent 20 million Baptists around the world, according to the NBC website.
Baylor University and the Baptist Standard news source stand among the groups
that have joined the NBC. While some may be surprised that Baylor University is
on the list, the school's spiritual affinity toward the New Age showed up last
year when they invited New Age sympathizer Leonard Sweet to speak.
2
Read the whole article and the
rest of the newsletter at
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletter020408.htm
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