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"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the
world-forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians
6:12 (NIV)
We've been studying Spiritual Warfare for the past several weeks. This week I want to share with you an excerpt
from a newsletter I received from a major prophecy magazine (Prophezine)
who follows such leading prophecy ministries as Perry Stone, J. R. Church, Ray Brubaker, Jack VanImpe, Hal Lindsey,
Grant Jeffrey, Peter LaLonde among others. Since we've been talking about how to conduct spiritual warfare in the
face of an aggressive enemy, this article seemed very appropriate. Due to its length, however, it has been edited
so that we will have time left over for discussion.
Date: November 18, 1998
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Subject: Benjamin Creme and Share International
When I first read that Benjamin Creme was going to make another tour of the USA to speak on the Emergence of Lord
Maitreya, I was very excited as Mr. Creme doesn't do a whole lot of touring.
I believe that this Maitreya character, if he even exists, could very well be the one Christians expect soon, known
variously as The Antichrist, The Beast, Mr. 666, and the coming World Ruler. Benjamin Creme, on the other hand,
is promoting Maitreya as the World Teacher who is coming to help us advance closer to our own godhood. Share International
magazine, is the United Nations sponsored magazine which Benjamin Creme edits.
When I made public my intention of attending this meeting, regardless of denomination, one thing I was assured
of from everyone was plenty of PRAYER! I found out when I came back that whole church groups had been praying for
me, along with dozens of other individuals! I was truly
humbled when I realized how many folks had gone straight to the Lord in my behalf... I doubt He has ever heard
my name mentioned so many times at once!
I arrived and found the lecture hall, which was on the second floor of a strange little shopping mall. Most of
the shops on this floor had something to do with Wellness, the New Age, Holistic Hoopla or Aromatherapy. Feeling
more relaxed when I saw seating for 400 people, I left to change my clothes and prepare with prayer.
Having done my best to get as right with God as I possibly could, I once again asked Him for either an obvious
message to stay away, or His full protection. I thought I might be the proverbial fool, barreling in where angels
fear to tread, but then again, I also felt a peace and a lot of respect for the power of The Creator! I remembered
Jesus' words: " ...fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul..." (Matt. 10:28)
and decided to simply trust His command completely. Nonetheless, I arrived at precisely 7:29pm so as not to give
anyone a chance to speak to me. I quickly seated myself in the back, near the door, with no one on either side
of me. I had a strange feeling, butterflies I suppose, which only got worse when I read the half-page handout they
had given me as I entered the room. which said: "READ THIS FIRST"
"IF MR CRÈME IS ALREADY SEATED AS YOU ENTER THE LECTURE ROOM, PLEASE BE SEATED QUIETLY.
MR. CRÈME IS BEING OVERSHADOWED BY MAITREYA, THE WORLD TEACHER, AND A BLESSING IS BEING GIVEN TO THE MEMBERS
OF THE AUDIENCE. THIS IS DONE THROUGH A PROCESS KNOWN AS MENTAL OVERSHADOWING OR TELEPATHY.
PLEASE ACCEPT THIS BLESSING! SIT QUIETLY AND MEDITATE IF YOU WISH.
THE LECTURE PART WILL LAST ABOUT 90 MINUTES. THEN THERE WILL BE A 20 MINUTE INTERMISSION FOLLOWED BY A TIME FOR
QUESTION AND ANSWERS OF ABOUT 45 MINUTES. WE WILL CONCLUDE THE EVENING WITH ANOTHER OVERSHADOWING OF MR. CRÈME
AND CHRIST'S BLESSING FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE."
I looked around the room and counted about 250 people sitting quietly, pensively, and expectantly. Some were meditating,
some reading, and some looking at Benjamin, who was sitting quietly on a riser centered in the front of the rather
wide meeting room.
A woman by the name of Ruth Donovan from the Atlanta Transmission Meditation group (our hosts for the evening)
stepped up and told us that we were being blessed by Maitreya, and that we would now hear messages from Maitreya
on audio cassette. We were invited to quietly meditate as we heard "...the voice of Benjamin Creme, but the
words and ideas of Maitreya...".
"Knowingly or not, the world stands ready to recognize the Christ. His long-awaited and hoped- for reappearance
is now an accomplished fact.
"On July 19, 1977, the Christ, Maitreya, the World Teacher, Head of our Spiritual Hierarchy, emerged from
His ancient retreat and is now in the modern world. With His Disciples, the Masters of Wisdom, He will inaugurate
the New Age of Synthesis and Brotherhood.
"The messages are relayed by me to the audience. No trance or mediumship is involved, and the voice is mine,
strengthened in power and altered in pitch by the overshadowing energy of Maitreya.
"It is an enormous and embarrassing claim to have to make that the Christ is giving messages through oneself.
But if people can rid their minds of the idea of the Christ as some sort of spirit, sitting in heaven at God's
right hand; if they can begin to see Him as indeed He is, a real and living man (albeit a Divine Man) who has never
left the world; who descended, in 1977, not from heaven but from His ancient retreat in the Himalayas, to complete
the task He began in Palestine; as a great Master, an Adept and Yogi; as the chief actor in a Gospel Story which
is essentially true, but much simpler than hitherto presented -- if people can accept that possibility, then the
claim to receive telepathic communications from such a closer and more knowable being is also, perhaps, more acceptable.
In any case, I leave it to a study of the quality of the Messages themselves to convince or otherwise. For many
people, the energies which flow during the overshadowing convince. Many who come to the meetings at which these
messages are given are clairvoyant in various degrees, and their visions of the overshadowing as it takes place
is for them the most convincing evidence of all."
He is also quoted as saying: "I am the one who will not go away." "Many will follow Me and see Me
as their guide. Many will know Me not" "Those who search for signs will find them".
"My dear friends, I am happy to be with you once more. My Plan is that My Teaching should precede My Presence
and prepare My Way. My people will release it through their groups and group endeavor. When mankind is somewhat
prepared My voice shall be heard. Meanwhile, My efforts are bearing fruit, producing change, drawing together men
and nations, and bringing new hope to the world. I am emerging soon, but first I would point the way into the new
direction which man, if he would survive, must take. Firstly, men must see themselves as brothers, sons of the
One Father. This is essential if they would progress one step nearer the Godhead. Throughout the world there are
men, women and little children who have not even the essentials to stay alive; they crowd the cities of many of
the poorest countries in the world. This crime fills Me with shame. My brothers, how can you watch these people
die before your eyes and call yourselves men? My Plan is to save these, My little ones, from certain starvation
and needless death. My Plan is to show you that the way out of your problems is to listen again to the true voice
of God within your hearts, to share the produce of this most bountiful of worlds among your brothers and sisters
everywhere. I need your help, I call on you to aid Me in My task. How can I stand aside and watch this slaughter,
watch My little ones die? No, My friends, this cannot be.
"Therefore I am come quickly among you once more to show you the Way, point the Path. But the success of My
Mission depends on you: you must make the choice - whether you share and learn to live peacefully as true men,
or perish utterly. My heart tells Me your answer, your choice, and is glad. May the Divine Light and Love and Power
of the One Most Holy God fall now upon your hearts and minds. May this Light, Love and Power lead you to seek That
which dwells in silence within you. Find That and know that you are Gods."
With the recorded messages finally over, the lights go up, and Ruth Donovan gives a few announcements. Finally,
Benjamin is introduced to polite applause. At this point I felt quite safe from danger, but I was aware that I
needed to continue praying constantly. He began to speak. If I hadn't already known way too much about him, and
the blasphemous things he has said about Jesus Christ and the Lord God Jehovah, I would have wished we were friends.
Benjamin Creme makes a wonderful "father figure". Doubtlessly, most of the other people in the audience
were at least equally enamored with his style.
He proceeded to say that he was here to deliver information. Quickly adding that he represented no particular religious
sect, Benjamin was able to cast aside prejudice and fear from much of the crowd. He casually explained that his
message is difficult to accept for certain "orthodox" religions. We were then asked to put aside everything
we believe.
He began to speak of Jesus in Palestine (not Israel, interestingly enough) and his polite, warm storytelling style
continued until we were asked to accept or reject his teaching on the basis of whether "it rings of Truth".
He continued . . . "Doom and catastrophe will not happen... it was never predicted...". From here he
went on to tell how the fundamentalist readers of Scripture have misunderstood their writings. Apparently Revelation
does not mean what it says, and the judgments of God should not concern us... considering that God is not who we
think He is anyway. The woman sitting in front of me nodded often in agreement, and leaned to her female partner
as if to say, "See, I told you this guy was on the ball!". They, as well as the rest of the crowd, particularly
liked hearing that Bible believers were totally wrong, and would be phased out as the new information took hold.
Creme threw out easy jokes and they all chuckled comfortably. I was reminded of the verses in the 4th chapter of
2nd Timothy: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables."
Why was Jesus unrecognized and killed? The "Fundamentalists" of His time got rid of Him "because
He was not the expected idea of the Messiah"! At that point, Mr. Creme launched into an extensive oratory
about the problems of the Third World and after a bit, he shifted gears into Miracles, Madonnas, and Signs of the
Times. He followed up with the incredibly exciting news that The Master Jesus had been living in Rome for the last
7 years, and would be one of the first Masters of Wisdom to show up after Maitreya's own Day of Declaration! Master
Jesus would then get the unenviable task of assuring the Christians that Lord Maitreya is a nice boy and we should
like him.
Mr.Creme began the question and answer period by welcoming our special guest from Knoxville, Tennessee, Reverend
Joe Bullard who runs the small Copper Ridge Baptist Church.
The Self alone matters! What Mr. Creme was sharing was the fact that in his world, we are all working toward our
ultimate godhood, both as individuals and as a group. Furthermore, according to Benjamin Creme: The words of Jesus
Christ, "...no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) means that no man can realize
his own deity except by the realization of the Christ Principle within his own heart.
Now Lucifer on the other hand, according to Creme, is very misunderstood. It seems Lucifer actually refers to the
Human Kingdom, not to some dangerous deceiver. And where did this silly idea of a Satan or Devil come from? Why,
those arrogant Christians of course! In Creme's eyes, every religion is equal and all people are working toward
the next level, which all will eventually reach! Now, when I say that he has all religions being equal, both he
and I are ignoring his obvious contempt for the arrogant, misguided and foolish fundamental Christians. During
all of his talk, this was the only religious group that got hit with such venom. All the rest were declared "perfectly
fine". Yet the crowd smiled heartily in their agreement on this issue.
After the questions, we were invited to stay for an "Overshadowing" by Maitreya. Did I mention that I
had been praying? Non-stop. Did I mention that many folks back home and around the world were praying for me? Also
very true. In short, I felt incredibly comfortable at this point... no fear whatsoever. If I had even a doubt,
I would have hopped up and gotten out of there, but I was ready with the knowledge that Christ's blood was covering
me and shielding me from any evil. I belong to Jesus Christ, and He was not about to let Satan get his dirty claws
into me. Benjamin had the folks lower the lights by about 50%, to make the room more adaptable to meditation. Mr.
Creme simply sat up straight, lifted his right arm with his palm up and facing the audience. He then turned slowly
to the left side of the room, where I was sitting, and began staring at the first person. Ever so slowly he made
his way to the next, and then the next... so slowly that one could scarcely see any movement at all.
He did this for maybe 15 or 20 minutes, crossing back and forth over the group six or eight times.
I was in full scale prayer at this point! I was not about to accept any "blessing" from Maitreya, Benjamin
or whoever. I watched his every movement like a scientist, trying to decide if anything out of the ordinary was
going to happen. I studied him, and the crowd, and I noticed that most all of the people were locked into Mr. Creme
like zombies.
That's when I noticed. It wasn't long at all before I was the object of Benjamin Creme deep, unearthly gaze. His
eyes seemed to be looking through the back of my head. I blinked to clear my vision, but it was still there. There
it was again... The man was bathed in a strange glow as if there were two layers of images. One was the normal
image of a man sitting with his palm facing me, and the second was the same image, yet golden toned and softly
defocused. The two images appeared to move against each other slightly in a random pulsing behavior. He was emanating
the light, it was not being shined on him. I checked, but it was not that kind of illumination.
I was very sober, and quite aware of everything that was going on around me... which was nothing. Benjamin had
continued past me by now, and I glanced around the room again. Everyone was virtually motionless. I could hear
deep breaths followed by shudders, all around the room. Men and women both were tearing up from emotions unchecked.
Lucifer means "lightbearer", Satan is the Angel of Light and his visual tricks nearly always contain
some spectacular phenomena... Ghosts, UFO's, wandering lights, visions, et al. If this man was receiving the demonic
power right in front of me, that was to be the best explanation available. More testing confirmed it... the glow
was real, and it came out of Benjamin Creme.
He was also looking so deeply through my skull that I found myself engaged in fierce spiritual battle. Fortunately,
I had the greater power... the One who had created his power... and I was safe. Amazing confidence flowed through
me, which only grew as I became more and
more aware of the battle going on!
It was finally over. As I walked out I turned to watch the others exit. They were slowly emerging, stunned, awed...
that deer-in-the-headlights look. They didn't stumble, but they looked wasted and disoriented. Some were smiling
while others seemed all but totally lost. Tears were being wiped from cheeks, and small gasps of disbelief were
heard all around. Everyone else had experienced something just as intense as I had.
I turned to go, saddened by seeing these folks reduced to the quivering group that they had become. Stunned silence
filled the whole area, with an otherworldly eeriness pervading. I asked a lady about 40 years old as we were leaving,
"Did he... glow?" She replied, "YES!!! (her eyes go very wide, and she catches her breath) and it
was golden....and... and..." She spoke quickly, and described it all just the way I had been writing it in
my head. We had not been dreaming. She told me that she felt stunned. I said "I don't doubt it.", knowing
that she had not been protected in the way that I had... I felt so sorry for her, but I knew there was no chance
to reach her. She had seen something that would take weeks to deal with, and that was all too evident. We walked
separately to our cars, shaking our heads and breathing deep gulps of the fresh night air.
This is real. I still don't know what it is for sure, but it is very, very real.
Spiritual Warfare consisted of PRAYER, FAITH, NO FEAR, BEING SOBER, BLOOD COVERING. Never did this man "rebuke
the devil", but he stood firm in knowing God's protection was all around him when he went in to face the enemy.
He was very aware of the warfare going on in his spirit, yet he was unmoved. He knew Jesus had won the victory
at Calvary and he had nothing to fear as it is written, " ...fear not them which kill the body, but are
not able to kill the soul..." (Matt. 10:28)
Make no mistake . . . the enemy is out there becoming more and more visible. We will only recognize him and walk
in victory as we awaken spiritually and take heed to God's Word.
Return to Part 4 | Go to Part 6
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