Contemplative Spirituality and Children - What are they being taught?
Focus on the Family's Odyssey Promoting Contemplative On January 9th, 2007 Focus on the Family's Adventures in Odyssey (their program for children) presented a show called "Solitary Refinement." Much like the recent Fox Home Video production, Be Still, "Solitary Refinement" is an infomercial for Contemplative Spirituality. Talking about going to monasteries to learn the disciplines of silence and solitude, getting rid of distractions and thoughts in order to hear God, the program makes references throughout that encourage children to practice the "spiritual disciplines," with a particular emphasis on the disciplines of silence and solitude. Anyone who has been researching and studying the contemplative prayer movement will understand the message in this presentation. Foundation Donates Money for Kids to Learn TM On 5 May 2006 NEA TODAY reported: The David Lynch Foundation has donated US$150,000 to introduce a scientifically validated program to improve US education. The May issue of the National Education Association's magazine reported that six public schools will receive $25,000 each so that they can offer the Transcendental Meditation Technique to their students. Click here to read more. The following are quotes from an issue of the NavPress kids magazine, Pray Kids. "Going to the next level with Jesus in contemplative prayer really can be more exciting than your favorite video game. Why not take a God-break right now and discover what's at the next level?" "Contemplate: Be still before God. Get a picture of a sunset in your mind . . . or something else He has made that amazes you. Wait quietly to let Him tell you about Himself. Now contemplate God the Father, or Jesus, using Lectio Divina with these passages: Exodus 15:11; Psalm 145:13; Ephesians 1:18-23." "If you've picked a topic for your time with Jesus, find something to hold that will remind you of it. For instance, if you are contemplating His many thoughts about you, hold a cup of sand (Psalm 139:17-18, New Living Translation). If you are thinking about His tender care, hold a strand of your hair (Matthew 10:30)." |
Around
the world, children, as young as preschoolers and sometimes even
toddlers are being taught to meditate. Either through yoga classes
in the schools or through spiritual formation classes in Sunday
School, kids are learning to meditate. This means that adults
have put children in harm's way and brought them into the occult.
