Question:  Hello there,

            Recently on the advice of a friend, I read a book called, “Conversations with God” by a man named Neale Donald Walsch.  It was quite interesting to read.  It seemed to have lots of “New Age” ideas, but it was strange because I could understand and relate to a good portion of the material in this book.  It spoke about how we live in a world of relativity – i.e., we can only know “up” because there is a “down”.  But that in the realm of the Absolute there is only Love . . .there is no good, evil, right, wrong, up, down, hot, cold, etc.

            Okay, I can believe that we live in a realm of relativity, but what about this Absolute Love?  In Absolute Love, does good and evil cease to exist?  This is bothersome to a degree, because it seems to be saying that since there is '‘really” no good or evil, right or wrong, then we have no need of a Savior, and I am having a little trouble with this, because I love Christ as my Savior.  Have you read the material in “Conversations With God” books?  What do you think about all of this?

            Thanks so much for your time, and so sorry for the lengthiness of the question.

            Pamela

Answer:  Dear Pamela,

            I have been asked about the book “Conversations with God” by others, and have briefly glanced through it.  You are correct – it is a book with New Age foundations, and the “conversations” the book describes seem to be conversations the author had with the “god” within him – a pagan and New Age teaching.

            Books employing such ideas often pose the dilemma: if or since God is “Absolute Love” then why do good and evil continue to co-exist?  Or, as you suggest, is there really such a thing as “good” and “evil” – is there any such thing as sin?

            Of course, if humans can be deceived or confused about the sin issue – if we can be convinced that we do not have the need for a Savior, then why would we want to accept and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ?  A great strategy – and we have to give credit for a  “nice try” to those human and not-so-human origins of those who try to persuade us of the viability of such an approach.

            I devoted our monthly ministry letter this past month (April) to this topic.  While we post the current month (May) on our web site, we do not post past months.  I would be glad to send you a copy of this letter.  It will give you background and a more detailed explanation.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht