ANNOUNCING A NEW RESOURCE!
For several years now we have been aware of a booklet by Gaylene Goodroad, a parishioner at Pastor Larry DeBruyn’s Franklin Road Baptist Church in Indianapolis. At the time we read early drafts of the book we were excited about its contents and encouraged her to get it into people’s hands.
We are pleased to announce that her booklet My Life In ‘THE WAY’ is now available online as an e-book. At her new blog, Gaylene has written:
Its been almost eighteen years since my conversion to Christ–and the renouncement of both my black belts–but it wasn’t until recently that I fully realized the close kinship between the spiritual roots of the martial arts and the Emergent/Contemplative spirituality engulfing the Church of Jesus Christ. After some research, I discovered that the devil’s lie from Genesis 3 has been cleverly repackaged and marketed to unsuspecting karate enthusiasts for hundreds of years, and is now simpatico among many professing Christians….[2]
To continue reading, visit her blog at: http://mylifeintheway.blogspot.com
Scroll all the way down to the very bottom of the page and you will find a link to her booklet. To read the book, simply click on the link and a pdf file of the e-book will pop up.
If you think you know all about Judo, Karate, Yoga, Reiki, etc. you might be surprised when you read My Life In ‘THE WAY.’ This book delves into the fascinating history of the Do ‘Way’ – also known as Tao or Dao. The author explains the mystical foundations of the extensive modern martial arts movements, and how these all serve as vehicles that foster Eastern “enlightenment,” meditation, and alternate paths to spiritual development.
Particularly interesting is the explanation of how the various forms of martial arts have “unique techniques, movements, and patterns.” Goodroad explains, “These are not physical exercises alone, but forms of meditation in motion,” especially as they are accompanied by “breath” work and visualization.
Quite a bit of ground is covered in this short booklet of 44 pages. The section describing Hollywood stars and the glamorization of various forms of martial arts in the pop culture are real eye-openers, especially the activities of Chuck Norris. Engaging in the martial arts is not as benign as people have been led to believe!
This is a great booklet to refer to those who are involved in these alternative spiritual pathways and practices. The book is quick and easy to read. The full-color illustrations and easy-to-read layout will encourage people to give it more than a glance. The well-documented content is sure to provoke discussion, controversy, and hopefully some real soul-searching.
The Truth:
“…and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7a-8)
Endnotes:
1. Gaylene Goodroad, My Life In ‘THE WAY,’ e-book linked to from this blog (scroll down to the very bottom of the page for the link): http://mylifeintheway.blogspot.com
2. “Christian” Martial Arts: Another Bad Branch on the Tree of the New Spirituality, by Gaylene Goodroad, posted at: http://mylifeintheway.blogspot.com/2010/02/christian-martial-arts-another-bad.html
Note: We will resume our current series Preparations for Suffering shortly, Lord willing.