I received an email on a New Age cult entitled "Fellowship of Friends." Here is a discussion forum on this group for former and current members. The web site guides seekers in rebellion from God’s law to:
The "Pathway To Presence" …the newly created web site for recruiting new members to the Fellowship of Friends…
Also see "Practising the Presence" [sic] for more about this esoteric Christianity, which blends with Hinduism in this cult of enlightened spirituality known as "The Fellowship of Friends."
But, wait a minute. All of this sounds like J. P. Moreland (professor at Biola) and the “Christian” movement called contemplative prayer. From a Christian perspective, Fellowship of Friends is clearly of the occult (with their teachings of the "higher self", etc.). Judging by the fruit of the "presence" proves that the foray of contemplative prayer is being proliferated by the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). A closer examination of the "presence" serves as a polemic against the contemplative prayer practice so many neo-evangelicals are raving about. The “pathway to presence” and the labyrinth of contemplative prayer are leading far too many in the dire direction of monism to be authentically Christian and spiritually benign. See article here on a Christian perspective of the dangers of "practicing the presence" within monastic Christianity.
Words and key phrases to consider from the Fellowship of Friends include:
Ladders
Lifetimes
The celestial city of Paradise
Sequence
Alchemy
Body Types
Centers of Gravity
Be (also: being present, self-remembering, dividing attention)
Lower self
Steward
Shocks
Life
Ark
Impressions
Predictions
Isis (also: Via del Sol, the Farm, Mount Carmel, the Ranch, Renaissance, Apollo)
Isn’t it clear that "practicing the presence" is for those who are not indwelt with the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit? There is no need to "practice" a "presence" when the perfect God of the universe dwells within you in all of His perfection.
