Fowl Doctrine - Christ Consciousness (aka, Creation Spirituality)

Christ Consciousness is a panentheistic teaching  promoted by religious heretics. The doctrine teaches that all people have God inside them, waiting to be discovered, liberated, and empowered. One is required to adopt and practice "spiritual disciplines" to unlock and channel the power of one's mind.

Matthew Fox, formerly a Catholic priest, is notorious for his teaching of such doctrines. Fox was denounced by the Roman Catholic Church and subsequently embraced by the Episcopal Church USA . Another major proponent of this teaching is Leonard Sweet, a professor of Evangelism at Drew University. Sweet is also an ordained Methodist minister and leader in the Emergent church.

The language of Creation Spirituality is also found in the principals of The Center for Progressive Christianity.

Oprah Winfrey is currently teaching about Christ Consciousness in her 10-week Internet course on Eckhart Tolle's book, The New Earth.

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Fowl Doctrine - Life-Coaching from the Pulpit

Pastors like Joel Osteen claim to be called as life-coaches, forsaking the responsibility of teaching and preaching the Holy Bible. These pastors often pepper their sermons with a few Bible verses, but they use scripture to prop up teaching that promotes popular psychology.

In October of 2007, Byron Pitts of CBS News interviewed Joel Osteen for the program, 60 Minutes. Osteen stated that I didn't feel called to explain the Bible to his congregation. When asked why his church, a former basketball arena, does not have a cross, Osteen said he didn't know why.

"I want you to get a bigger vision. There are exciting things in your future. Your future is filled with marked moments of blessing, increase, promotion. God has already ordained before the foundation of the world, the right people, the right opportunity. Time and chance are coming together for you. Why don’t you get your hopes up?" Osteen tells his audience. "Why don't you start believing that no matter what you have or haven't done, that your best days are still out in front of you."

Osteen won't have any crosses in the sports arena that he preaches in.  He won't preach about the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8), but he'll teach about right people and right opportunity for prosperity of the the prosperity-seeker on the earth.

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Fowl Doctrine - Sowing Financial Seed

Word of Faith preachers like Mike Murdock, teach a doctrine of giving to ministries based on financial rewards. They often use the parables of Christ that mention sowing as support for this doctrine. The aim is always to get the listener to give to the preacher's ministry, often mentioning specific sums like $1,000.

Jesus Christ spoke about sowing in four contexts; birds that depend on God to be fed (Mat 6:26); sowing the Word of God (Mat 13:3-9 & 13:18-23); Christ sowing children of the Kingdom (Mat 13:24-30); and a king accused of reaping what other men sow (Luke 19:12-27).

NOWHERE does he say anything about sowing seed in the context of giving to a ministry. Jesus himself explains these parables, so there is no room for varied interpretation. It is also very interesting that the only parable that deals with sowing in any connection with money is the one in Luke 19. And sowing is used there by a worthless servant making excuses for his faithlessness. The king tells that servant that he should have put the money in a bank.

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Fowl Doctrine - Date-setting (Adventism)

William Miller (1782-1849) is a good example of a date-setter. Miller made a name for himself by claiming the Christ would return to the earth on October 22, 1844.

The Millerite movement  spawned a number of groups claiming special revelation and privilege as "true Churches". Groups which have spun off from the Millerites include Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses.

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Fowl Doctrine - Sabbath-keeping

Denominations like the Seventh-day Adventists teach that it is essential for Christians to keep the Sabbath.  The SDA church offers the best example for a thumbnail sketch of the problem. 

Ellen G. White (1827-1915) was a founding member of the SDA Church. Her writings are considered to be divinely inspired by many SDA members. White taught that worship on Sunday was introduced by heretics in the Roman Catholic Church.  She claimed that the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is the Anti-Christ and Christians who worship on Sunday are under the mark of the beast.

To be expanded...