While we wait for me to work out some implications of 2 Cor
2:15-16, I thought it would be edifying to relate an apologetic door the
Lord opened for me yesterday; a coworker had just bought the book Stop Living In This Land Go To The Everlasting World Of Happiness Live There Forever by
Woo Myung, and wanted to recommend it to me. I browsed the back cover
and detected some universalist tones, and suggested that we google the
author on the company
computers (which are provided for limited personal use!). We did and
quickly tracked down the man's website with this incredible claim:
"In 1996, while meditating in the mountains of South Korea, Woo Myung achieved enlightenment and became Truth."
 |
| There's only one... |
Who wouldn't momentarily be taken aback by such an preposterous claim?
My astonishment was evident, and I exclaimed, "Do you know what that
means? Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. This man
is claiming to be the equal of Jesus! Further," I added, "that means
that everything this man says and everything Jesus says will perfectly
line up. But if it doesn't, either Jesus or Woo Myung must not be the
Truth; they must be horribly mistaken." My coworker was on the
defensive by now, and I decided not to press him further... maybe I
should have. But God be thanked for the abundant and easy research we
can do to "test the spirits"! Take every opportunity to emphasize the exclusivity of Christ... He's not a way; He's the only Way!
photo courtesy of Michael Peoples
photo courtesy of Michael Peoples
Thank you for this post. What you pointed out very simply and plainly is what I am very disturbed about when hearing of Woo Myung. I am a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ and came to follow Him in my teen years. A few years ago, I began struggling with emotional problems and also became "hyper religious" - I guess because I understood in my relationship with Christ that He alone is everything. However, I realize now that no amount of religious fanaticism can ever replace the true work of the Holy Spirit in a person's life, and I recognize that I did not have sincere repentance. Well, now, after much searching and dabbling with other therapies and healing, I found Maum meditation (founded by Woo Myung) and it has proven itself helpful in that I have been able to examine my life over all the years, and have been able to truly repent and see all the ways in which my heart was not right before the Lord. However, now I feel the Lord is calling me to go back to His Word and what HE says. And while the Maum meditation has helped, and it is seemingly very effective for those who believe in it, I am very bothered because it is as you said, universalist, and frankly, the method is not Biblical. You throw away pictures of the mind that have created a false self and the Universe (Truth) comes in. When I throw my pictures away, I imagine myself before Christ and put my faith in His blood to wash and cleanse me and Scriptures begin to come to mind. But I had a disturbing dream about Woo Myung - basically I wasn't able to call on the Lord Jesus in this man's presence. I think your post is enough. I believe the Lord is revealing to me the deception behind this man's work and how he is seeking to establish "peace" on earth. That for sure is something that no man can do except Christ! Please pray for me brother, as I do feel the Lord is calling me back to Himself thru repentance and to stop seeking answers from "people" or "organizations."
ReplyDeleteRepenting,
DeleteHappy to be of service to you; your story sounds fascinating, and I look forward to hearing more of it… if not now, then when we’re both beside the throne of Christ in glory! I tried, with my coworker, to show him that our natural ideas about truth are always tinted by our religious presuppostions; in Myung’s case, those of Buddhism. I can see why one might think that meditation can be helpful and effective, but to what end? Without the truth of God’s Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, meditation can only soothe the natural and necessary terrors of people who are guilty before God and in danger of His judgment, saying in effect “Peace, peace when there is no peace” (Jer 8:11). The one “organization” you truly need is the Church of Jesus Christ; sound teaching and brotherly fellowship will feed and sustain you. If you need help finding a good one, send me your general location and I can try to recommend the best in your area.
Your servant,
Busdriver4jesus