The Common Dreams seminar held in Sydney Australia in August 2007 claimed to be an international gathering aimed at drawing together people from Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world. It aimed to explore ways that progressive religion, including progressive expressions of other religious traditions besides Christianity, can contribute positively to the common good so that religion enhances human life rather than diminishing it.
A decision is required
To attend and pay an expensive $420 for Common Dreams or
To decide not to attend the Common Dreams seminar
That is the Question
Background
The Common Dreams Seminar was held in Sydney in mid August 2007 supported by the liberal Pitt Street Uniting Church, Sydney, Progressive Christian Networks of Victoria and South Australia other groups and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir
Key Speakers at the conference included the Rev Stephanie Dowrick (Interfaith minister) and Bishop John Shelby Spong (well known for his anti fundamentalist anti miracle pro homosexual views)
Review
What is the Common dreams Seminar. What is it's goal and mission? Will Common Dreams bring souls to repentance and eternal rest in Jesus Christ (the light of the World)?What is Progressive Christianity? Is it Progressive or regressive? Does Progressive Christianity mean Christians should ignore the Bible and listen to people like Bishop John Shelby Spong and any other speaker who wants to promote alternative religions? Does Progressive Christianity mean Christians should endorse other religions and faiths that will ultimatedly lead people to Hell? What has Zen Buddhism really got to do with Christian Beliefs? Precious little.
Well the Common Dreams Seminar website is all very vague. It doesn't really tell you much at all. Uncommon and Silly dreams is probably more apt a description.
Askthebible.com have reviewed the content and speakers at this conference as documented on their website and seriously question the purpose and value for the conference to facilitate and develop true and genuine Christian Growth. It appears to be smorgasbord or "dog's breakfast"of views and understandings. Clearly the inference made from the Interfaith component of the Common Dreams seminar is, that it doesn't matter what you believe.
Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism, Christianity.
All paths lead to God. Don't they??
Fundamental Christian beliefs are only part of the smorgasbord of beliefs on offer and by not being a core belief are clearly devalued and therefore under direct attack.
What are the core beliefs of the Key Presenters
Bishop John Shelby Spong
John Shelby Spong portrays 'fundamentalists' who believe the Bible as the true inspired word of God as bigoted ignoramuses. Spong claims that the Bible is littered with problems and contradictions. Spong does not believe in miracles, has problems with the virgin birth and the supernatural reality of Jesus Christ, so you have to wonder what part of the Bible he actually does believe.
John Shelby Spong and liberal scholars such as Spong usually argue that the Gospels were written long after (80 to 100 years after) the events they claim to record. Therefore he and his followers make the claim that they cannot be trusted to be reliable.
However, there is significant evidence that this argument is plainly false. Numerous non christian historians writing at the time of Christ confirm the accuracy of the Bible in terms of geography, government, politics, lifestyles, Christ's life and actions and the life and history of Paul and the apostles following Christ's ascension into heaven.
Sadly, Bishop Spong views the world through the eyes of a 19th century rationalist who has lost the truth of what the Bible is about; the Redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
For an excellent review of Bishop John Shelby Spong and his false beliefs please click on the following link
The problem with Bishop John SpongRev Stephanie Dowrick
We have heard Rev Stephanie Dowrick (an Interfaith minister) speak in late May 2007 on Islam, Sufi, Christianity and Buddhist belief systems and we remain very concerned that her understandings of Christianity are divergent and unbiblical. She commenced and ended the talk with Sufi poems. She may be a nice lady but she is 100% wrong on several issues. We question whether Dowrick is really a Christian based on her statements.
She does not believe that Jesus Christ stated that "I am the way the truth and the Life no one comes to the Father but by me."
John 14 verse 6 is a stumbling block for her because of her Interfaith agenda.
She can't come to grips with the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is critical to salvation and reconciliation with God. Her view or perception that all religious roads lead to God is totally wrong and unbiblical. Her view that you must read and analyse all religious documents from every religion to obtain a complete picture of God is also totally wrong and absurd. To take this position you must make an assumption that every original religious writing is 100% inspired by God, which is a significant assumption. She stated that "No body of faith has all the answers." Dowrick's view or perception that that Hell is not a real place for those who reject Jesus is also totally wrong. Stephanie obviously hasn't read the testimonies of Ian McCormack who will be in Sydney speaking on 22 February 2012, Mary Kay Baxter, Mary Kathryn Baxter, Dr Dick Eby or Bill Wiese. All five have had revelations of hell. Their testimonies are bullet proof. Dowrick's apparent ignorance of the Bible and other detailed testimonies for someone who claims to be so well read and so knowledgeable is confounding.
Askthebible.com have investigated and reviewed the Interfaith deception in detail and have produced a web page. See Link at base on page. Interfaith is a growing agenda that is clearly anti-Christian. Rev Dr Francis McNab for St Michael's Uniting Church in Melbourne is also promoting Interfaith as a valid belief. Many muslims are also pushing the Interfaith philosophy very hard because it fits their agenda. The beliefs of Christianity are in direct conflict with Islam so it's in their interest to devalue Christianity and emphasis Islam as an alternative "true" religion. Which of course it is NOT. There may be 100 million muslims alive today who follow the Koran but that doesn't mean they have the "truth". Majorities are sadly often very wrong. Mankind is very easily deceived. The Bible says that wide is the road to destruction.
To align faiths as alternative paths to God, as all being equally valid is profoundly false. The Holy Bible is very definitive on this issue. Stephanie Dowrick's approach is to redefine a Bible verse(s) so it fits her religious understanding. It's too easy to re-define, water down or distort Holy Scripture to suit the new "progressive christianity" and to think your right and being smart. There is nothing new about this type of thinking. Sadly Dowrick doesn't seem to realise that when you start changing one verse, such as John 14 v6 you cannot stop there, you have to realign and review many many Bible verses. Eg Isaiah 45 v23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10 are only a few of many verses requiring a modification. What does the Bible say about other faiths?
Jesus said:-
"For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. BUT small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Matt 7: v 13,14
Askthebible.com strongly warns that you should
avoid this conference. We believe Bishop Spong perverts and misinterprets Holy Scripture (the Bible) and redefines and ridicules traditional and fundamental Christian doctrinal beliefs to match his personal agenda.If you're a genuine Christian who wants to grow your faith in Jesus Christ Askthebible.com considers you can certainly spend your personal time and $420 a whole lot more profitably. For example read and mediate on the Holy Bible. Start with the Gospel of John, the fourth book of the New Testament or read a great Christian book like John Piper's "A Godward Life".
Summary
AsktheBible.com
values and support the teaching of the Holy Bible in its entirety as the infallible inspired Word of God. We reject all other religions as false paths and ultimately are instruments of satanic deception. The fruits of Islam are self evident. Refer to the Religion of Peace website The religion of peace for an update.Our Recommendation on future Common Dreams Seminars in Sydney is:
AVOID
ASKTHEBIBLE.COM CONSIDERS THESE TYPE OF SEMINARS TO BE A SERIOUS WASTE OF TIME and MONEY and certainly CONTRARY TO WHAT THE BIBLE STATES. WHY WOULD THE THOUGHTS AND WORDS OF PRESENTERS BE OF GREATER VALUE THAN BIBLICAL TRUTH.
Key words:
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