30 years ago: A New Age Christmas service in Edmonton

On December 22, 1988, this blogger and fellow cultwatcher attended the annual Christmas service at Edmonton's Centre for Self-Awareness, led by Rev. Sue Rubin. The musical part of the service included the singing of such inspirational favourites as Frosty the Snowman and I'll Be Home for Christmas.

What passed for a sermon consisted of Rev. Sue reciting the wonderful characteristics we all supposedly possess, while lighting a candle to represent each characteristic as she went through the list. This was the sort of nonsense that New Agers--especially women--fall for, but which strike others, such as the two cultwatchers in the audience, as blasphemy.

Apparently we two weren't the only ones who took a skeptical view of Rev. Sue's message, because when she got to the point where she stated "I am infinity" and "I am enlightenment," the candles started falling over, to the surprise of the infinite and enlightened Rev. Sue Rubin (and to the amusement of the two skeptics).

Fortunately, the building didn't catch fire; however, those who believe in the nonsensical New Age teaching that each of us is God within ourselves will be in danger of eternal fire. The truth is that there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:5).