Does Your Church Practice Astrology?

I was surprised when my daughter showed me a survey she got from her Sunday school class concerning a program called “S.H.A.P.E.”

I recognized it immediately as while I was in the Air Force we went through a program in the mid-1990’s that was then called “Total Quality Management” (TQM) that used a very similar survey. Over the years, the same TQM program has undergone many name changes (currently called AFSO21), even though the methods and materials are the same.

This program is geared toward “evolutionary” changes to business processes to promote “continuous improvement”. One aspect of this program is for organizational members to take personality surveys and teaches them a psychological system to promote “self-knowledge” so they know where they fit within the organization and then “self-improvement” by knowing and overcoming their weaknesses.

Part of this psychological system uses personality profiles that goes under many names and forms including Myers-Briggs, Ned Herrmann’s Whole Brain, DiSC assessment, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and Galen’s four temperaments.

I did some digging, and It turns out this program is currently being employed at many Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches and is based on a book available at Lifeway by Erik E. Rees called SHAPE

While the program I went through did not have the “friendly” animal names, the handout my daughter recieved would categorize the participants personality as one of “four temperaments” as follows:

  • Lion (Choleric/Dominance)
    Strengths – Visionary, practical, productive, strong-willed, independent, decisive, leader
    Weaknesses – Cold, domineering, unemotional self-sufficient, unforgiving, sarcastic, cruel
  • Otter (Sanguine/Influence)
    Strengths – Outgoing, responsive, warm, friendly, talkative, enthusiastic, compassionate
    Weaknesses – Undisciplined, unproductive, exaggerates, egocentric, unstable
  • Golden Retriever (Phlegmatic/Steadiness)
    Strengths – Calm, easy-going, dependable, quiet, objective, diplomatic, humorous
    Weaknesses – Selfish, stingy, procrastinator, unmotivated, indecisive, fearful, worrier
  • Beaver (Melancholy/Compliance)
    Strengths – Analytical, self-disciplined, industrious, organized, aesthetic, sacrificing
    Weaknesses – Moody, self-centered, touchy, negative, unsociable, critical, revengeful

Occultic Origins

Empedocles (495-425 B.C.) taught concerning the four elements and how they related to cosmology and personalities of the gods and goddesses. Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) expanded on Empedocles and taught on the four humors and he is generally credited with the “humoural temperament theory of personality”, since he connected the types with both mental and physical states. While Hippocrates focused on applying these concepts to treatment of physical ailments, Plato (427-347 B.C.) would begin applying the concepts of the four humors to treatment of mental ailments.

Plato’s student Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) would continue in this vein, but it was Claudius Galen of Pergamum (A.D. 130-200) who wrote more fully on the relationship between humors and temperaments. He sought to explain emotional and behavioral differences between people and to develop treatments that would be suitable to those of varying temperaments. It is Galen’s work from which we get “Galen’s four temperaments” described earlier.

According to R. W. Coan’s entry “Personality Types” in the Encyclopedia of Psychology (Volume 3, 1984, p. 24):

Central to astrological views of personality is a system of 12 patterns or types that correspond to the 12 signs of the zodiac. The 12 types may be viewed as including three modes of expression of each of the four elements noted by Empedocles, as there are said to be three air signs, three earth signs, three fire signs, and three water signs. This typology has enjoyed some popularity for over 2000 years.

And K.J. Shapiro’s entry “Temperaments” in the Encyclopedia of Psychology (Volume 3, 1984, p. 410):

Synthesizing ideas from classical Greek medicine and astronomy, a theory of temperaments prevailing well into medieval times held that, for example, a sanguine disposition reflected a particular combination of humors in the body and that, in turn, this combination had been fixed by a certain configuration of the stars at the time of an individual’s birth.

In his book Psychological Types (Princeton University Press, 1971, p. 531.), Carl G. Jung, clearly notes the relationship between astrology and the four temperaments. He says:

From the earliest times attempts have been made to classify individuals according to types, and so to bring order into the chaos. The oldest attempts known to us were made by oriental astrologers who devised the so-called trigons of the four elements-air, water, earth, and fire. The air trigon in the horoscope consists of the three aerial signs of the zodiac, Aquarius, Gemini, Libra; the fire trigon is made up of Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. According to this age-old view, whoever is born in these trigons shares in their aerial or fiery nature and will have a corresponding temperament and fate. Closely connected with this ancient cosmological scheme is the physiological typology of antiquity, the division into four temperaments corresponding to the four humours.

What was first represented by the signs of the zodiac was later expressed in the physiological language of Greek medicine, giving us the classification into the phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, and melancholic. These are simply designations for the secretions of the body.

As is well known, this typology lasted at least seventeen hundred years. As for the astrological type theory, to the astonishment of the enlightened it still remains intact today, and is even enjoying a new vogue.

The signs of the zodiac further refine and break down each of the four elements into “trigons” or “triplicities” as follows:

Element Humour Temperament Zodiac
Air Blood Sanguine Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Fire Yellow Bile Choleric Aries, Leo, Sagittariu
Earth Black Bile Melancholy Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Water Phlegm Phlegmatic Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

For a greater detailed description of the link between the four temperaments and astrology, see the e-book by Martin and Deidre Bobgan at this link:
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/e-books/4temp-ebk.pdf

It is interesting to note that Erik Rees is a pastor and leader of the Ministry S.H.A.P.E. Discovery Teams at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. (http://www.shapediscovery.com/author.php)

It is evident that Rees has relabeled TQM with christian-ese terminology and made it palatable for the church. It is also a book recommended to be used in conjunction with a Purpose Driven Life.

This program is a very subtle way to introduce astrology, psychology, Rick Warren’s program, and Total Quality Management into mainline evangelical churches.

Turns out there are many variations of this program all using the same features, just repackaged under different names.

After speaking with my in-laws who live in another state, their church (also a SBC church) is doing a program called P.L.A.C.E. which follows the same purpose-driven, TQM model and uses the same personality assessment with the 4 DISC personality types (Choleric, Melancholy, Sanguine, Phlegmatic) as the S.H.A.P.E. program.

It is great to encourage people to particpate in the ministry. However, considering that these programs are targeted to new believers and new church members, it is taking these folks and using psychological profiling (which can only measure attributes of the “flesh”) and tries to involve them in the ministry of the church so they are more likely to continue attendance (translate: church growth). This, combined with slogans such as “if you can read, you can lead”, is how we end up with “carnal christians” leading other “carnal christians” in feel good cliques (er, I mean “life groups”).

I don’t find where this is based on anything in the Bible. What happened to discipleship, Bible training, and concepts such as sanctification? I thought that we needed to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and the washing of the word (Eph 5:26; Rom 12:2)? While God can use us at all stages of development, everything I find in the Bible talks of finding leaders who are of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and wisdom (Acts 6:3). Programs such as S.H.A.P.E. and P.L.A.C.E. do none of that.

Great Articles:
Discard the DiSC
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/discarddisc13_5.html

Personality Cult
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/personality_cult13_2.html

More Information:
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/e-books/4temp-ebk.pdf
http://www.pamweb.org/missionsbk_online.html
http://www.shapediscovery.com/
http://www.placeministries.org/
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/book/chapter12.shtml
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=3377
http://www.ericbarger.com/pdl/Examining_The_Purpose_Driven_Philosophy-by_Eric_Barger_All_rights_reserved_copyright_2006,_2007.pdf

Jesus was not “Cool”

The bible says that there was nothing particularly “cool” about Jesus.

Isaiah 53:2 puts it this way, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”

It was the Holy Spirit that drew people (John 6:44). Except that The Sprit draws people you labor in vain.

When we try and flirt with the world in order to “be cool” we end up drawing people who need constant stimulation and end up wasting time on false converts so that nobody gets a firm foundation in the Word of God.

Why Settle for Less?

Satan is a deciever and seeks to pervert everything of God.

Keep in mind that Satan has a false, perverted version of most every work of the Holy Spirit.

Examples include: the laying on of hands is biblical and for today, however false religions such as Reiki also use laying of hands to impart a evil spirit that imparts false healing.

Now, just because Satan has a falsified version of it does not mean that all healing or laying of hands is “of the devil” — it is just doubly important that you know and follow the Bible when it comes to these things and not get duped into the wrong thing.

As I have said before, Satan’s parlor tricks and false spirituality is a very pale and poor substitute to what we can experience through a rich and biblical relationship with the Holy Spirit.

It is sad thing that so many folks choose to settle for less than the best that God has in store for us.

On one hand you have folks who say that the work of the Holy Spirit ceased in the time of the Apostles. They live a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.

Many who grow up in that environment have a rightful hunger for spirituality, but think they can’t get it from the Bible — so, they make easy converts to forms of false spirituality.

On the other hand, you have folks who seek nothing but spirituality and spiritual signs and experiences without a grounding in the Bible. They too can be duped by money hungry false teachers (2Peter 2:1-3)

When we study the Bible and cultivate a relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit there is more than enough true spirituality to go around.

Treasures in Heaven

You cannot take it with you, but you can send it on ahead

Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
-Jim Elliot

Think about it…

Q: What is the only thing you can build today that has the potential to last forever?

A: Relationships.

Emerging Cultural Spiritism

Several movies are coming out with a common theme that reveals the rising popularity of spiritism in our culture.

The previous century was the hallmark of modernism where science and materialism was supposed to be the end all and answer to all of mankind’s problems. Examples of modernism in the culture would be things like Sherlock Holmes or Scooby Doo, where, due to people’s superstitions, they believe that something supernatural is taking place. However, the scooby gang comes along and unmasked the villain who is really using some kind of technology to fool people.

After two world wars, people have become disillusioned with the concept that modernism, science alone, and materialism can solve all their problems. Hence, the rise of “post-modernism”, which reintroduces the supernatural into culture.

What we see in many of the movies coming out in early 2011 are examples of skeptical modernists having to come to terms with confrontations with the supernatural.

(Please note I have not seen the movies referenced below nor recommend anyone see them, this commentary on societal trends is based only on press releases made by the producers.)

In “Season of the Witch”, Nicolas Cage’s character, Behmen, is a disillusioned knight, who questions his own faith, returning home from the crusades to find his homeland ravaged with the plague. He is given the task of escorting a girl accused of witchcraft to what will probably be her death. Behmen doubts that witchcraft even exists, but later is confronted with and has to fight against the supernatural.

In a similar vein “The Rite” involves a seminary student, Kovak, who has doubts about faith and the supernatural, believing that things like possession by evil spirits are really psychiatric problems that should be dealt with using medical treatment. He is then confronted with very “real” manifestations of the supernatural and possession by evil spirits that are dealt with using exorcism.

Both of these examples show a trend of converting skeptics into believers in the supernatural, and then the heroes fighting evil using their “faith” and inner strength.

This is the new age, emergent spiritism, where seeking supernatural experiences and seeking out your own “inner star” are the promoted practices.

Of course, evil can only be defeated by Jesus. Faith in anything else is idolatry.

Homophobia

It’s official, I’m not “homophobic”

43 – Your score rates you as “non-homophobic.”

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/etc/quiz.html

It has never been about hating people, it has always been about hating sin.

People that choose to succumb to temptations and participate in homosexual acts are sinners in need of a savior the same as myself and everyone else.

What is most important is that we do not call, for any reason, something acceptable that God has declared in His Word to be an abomination.

No I do not hate or fear anyone, instead love insists that I do anything and everything I can to share the Good News that everyone can be delivered from the bondage to sinful behaviors through belief and trust in Jesus.

Psychology does not make right

The Frontline article referenced in the link above states that “For much of this century, homosexuality was defined by the medical and scientific community as a psychiatric disorder.”

This is true. The APA changed its position not based on scientific research or data, it changed its position in 1973 due to political pressures and infiltration of its leadership positions by homosexual activists.

Homosexuality continues to become accepted more and more as “normal” and it is religion that is seen as the “mental illness”.

Researchers treating religious, moral obsessions
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13855078

The recongized “father” of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, believed that people who follow their “natural” desires (read “sin nature”) that are truly sane. Dr. Benjamin Wiker in the book “10 Books That Screwed Up theWorld: And 5 Others That Didn’t Help” explains:

He [Freud] claimed that psychological disorders were the result of the unnatural repression of our naturally unholy and anti-social desires, and that some people just couldn’t handle the repression… Therefore, neurotics are the only sane people because they react to unnatural frustration by training to reclaim their original, natural, asocial and amoral state. The result: the anti-social psychopath who kills without conscience is the most natural of all. The interesting effect of Freud’s proclamation that evil is natural was the seemingly unintended consequence of making psychopathic insanity natural.

Since psychology/psychiatry is limited to man’s “wisdom” and man’s determination of what is right and wrong, psychology can be used to redefine anything in service to a purpose.

There is ample evidence that Psychiatry has been used for political purposes by communist countries. Basically, political and/or religious dissenters are labeled as “mentally ill” and imprisoned in maximum-security psychiatric hospitals.

Political Abuse of Psychiatry in the Soviet Union and in China
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/reprint/30/1/136.pdf

We are already seeing this happen in the U.S., and can expect it to wax worse.

Those of us who look to God’s revelation as to what He considers to be right and wrong are being labeled, marginalized, and more and more demonized. This is in fulfillment of prophecy as the world comes together under one universal religion that leaves no room for God.

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

Romans 12:9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.