Men are apt to be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine and deceived by seducing spirits. One can be a “Christian” with his feeling and a heathen with his head. ( Lit-sen Chang,Zen-Existentialism,)
Here is a story from the blog of Joe Carter about a Reformed philosopher who has had a spiritual experience and become a devotee of Krishna.
The Story: Philosopher of religion Michael Sudduth recently announced in an open letter that he has undergone a surprising religious conversion: “Despite my long-standing adherence to the Christian tradition, my spiritual journey has now moved me eastward and outside the framework of Christian theism.”
In a lengthy explanation—which philosopher William Vallicella posted on his website— Sudduth says that for the past twenty-five years he has been “an adherent of the Reformed theological tradition.” But last September he underwent a religious experience that led him to embrace the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism:
Around 4:20am (Friday morning) September 16th, I woke suddenly from a deep sleep to the sound of the name of “Krishna” being uttered in some way, as if someone was present in my room and had spoken his name out loud. Upon waking I immediately had a most profound sense of Krishna’s actual presence in my bedroom, a presence no less real than the presence of another living person in the room, though I was alone at the time. I responded to this felt presence, first through my thoughts that repeated Krishna’s name (and inquired of his presence), and then verbally out loud by uttering Krishna’s name twice: Krishna, Krishna. I was seized at this moment with a most sweet feeling of completeness and joy. I felt as if Krishna was there with me in my room and actually heard my voice, and that my response had completed a process that began with his name within my mind. I pondered this experience for several minutes, while at the same time continuing to experience a most blissful serenity and feeling of oneness with God, not unlike I had experienced on many occasions in the past in my relationship with the Lord Jesus. It was a most profound sense of both awe and intimacy with God in the form of Lord Krishna.
Rest of the story here – http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/01/22/from-john-calvin-to-hare-krishna/
Krishna
Just a few observations.
- Sudduth has been an “adherent of the Reformed theological tradition”. Has he ever been born again ? Has he ever repented of his sins and received the new life of Jesus Christ? Was he a follower of Christ, or a follower of the Reformed traditon?
- After reading Sudduth’s “testimony” it was obvious that he was being drawn deeper and deeper into Eastern religious thought. The Bible’s claim is not that a person cannot have spiritual experiences that flow out of other religious traditions,but that these experiences are counterfeit experiences from the realm of darkness.
12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.(II Corinthians 11:12-15)
- Spiritual warfare is real-the key is discerning whether one’s spiritual experiences are from God or not. Feelings of blissfulness,serenity,and oneness “with God” can be duplicated by drugs as well as by spiritual beings who are attempting to seduce one away from Jesus Christ.
- There is a tremendous movement in the world today to equate all religions as being one and the same. Krishna and Jesus Christ are not one and the same,and they are not spiritually or morally equivalent. Krishna is not another manifestation of God,or on the same level as Christ.
The Word Became Flesh- John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Wordwas God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were madethrough him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In himwas life,and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as awitness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world didnot know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receivehim. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave theright to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said,‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side,he has made him known.
Who has believed what he has heard from us?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.(Isaiah 53:1-3)
For more information on the topic of Krishna and Christianity check these sites out :
http://kingdavid8.com/Copycat/JesusKrishna.html
http://thedevineevidence.com/jesus_similarities.html
http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/krishna02.html
http://www.christianlibrary.org.au/cel/documents/cults/13.html