Critique of "The Shift of the Ages"
The book, The Shift of the Ages, written by David Wilcock, talks about a variety of topics, including extraterrestrial sightings, real-life calamities, an environment at risk, and an Ascension where he and others will be taken out of the earth. His book is difficult to read because he does not break up his topics very well. This means that the reader must often read several pages of single-spaced typing before ever getting to a break. The author also makes many statements throughout the text without providing any supporting evidence. In the pages that follow, comments will be presented on this book in a chapter-by-chapter format.
Comments on Chapter 01 - Introduction
In the first chapter, the author tries to create an initial feeling of alarm or panic for the reader, but he does not provide any evidence to support his remarks. He says that something is definitely going on in the world, but he does not identify that something or even explain why he is qualified to make such a statement. He says that the reader is aware of a few convincing prophets who have spelled doom for the present period and prophets who continue to do so, but he does not identify these convincing prophets. He does not even mention any of their doom and gloom prophesies.
The author mentions everyone's concerns about a life without creature comforts, but making such a generalized remark is not valid because not all people are concerned about a life without creature comforts. He says that "we cannot go on destroying ourselves and our planet forever," but once again, he fails to share how we are doing this or even what we should be doing about it. He indicates that economies all over the world are collapsing but does not specifically identify any of them. He says that the Federal Reserve kept the United States economy from collapsing on April 4, 2000, but Mr. Wilcock has not even backed up this assertion with any verifiable facts. His writing style is very dramatic, yet does not have any substance.
An Obsession With Extraterrestrials. In this opening chapter, Mr. Wilcock shows an obvious obsession with extraterrestrial life, but once again, he fails to provide any facts to support his comments. He talks about increased UFO sightings but does not give any facts or make reference to any supporting documentation. He says that we can safely claim to not be alone, but none of the presumed UFO sightings have been confirmed to be any kind of alien life. Everything that he says is simple, unsubstantiated conjecture.
Seemingly, Mr. Wilcock gives UFOs a lot of credit. He suggests that they are definitely out there, that they may be able to help us, and that they seem "to be doing everything within their power to alert us of their presence now" [1]. If UFOs are in our air space, then they must be smarter and more advanced than we. After all, they found us before we found them. Also, if they are really out there and are more advanced and powerful than we, then they should be able to enter into our atmosphere, land at our air bases, and accomplish their mission. If they have already done all that Mr. Wilcock has implied, then they do not need our permission to come all the way down.
A View Based on Carl Jung. Mr. Wilcock uses terms and concepts that are associated with Psychologist Carl Jung, such as collective ego, collective subconscious, the collective feminine Lunar self, and the masculine archetype. He also shows a high reliance on dreams and even shares his own dreams about the Ascension. To be more correct, the author should point out that Jung's philosophy is theoretical, not proven, and only one of many psychological viewpoints. Gestalt therapy, Rational Emotive therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapies are also psychological viewpoints that were developed by some of Jung's contemporaries, and to automatically assume that one is correct at the exclusion of the others is not good science. Mr. Wilcock does not even give credit to Jung for this part of his discussion.
Unclear Conclusions Based on Movies. Mr. Wilcock seems to be drawing conclusions from at least fourteen movies in this chapter, but it is not clear what he is trying to say. In the movie Contact, for instance, he says that "we achieve communication with an extraterrestrial race, and this leads us to build a machine that enables us to journey to their own level" [2]. So what? The reader is left wondering what the author is trying to say. Science fiction movies are not real life, and valid parallels cannot really be drawn from them.
Concerning Mr. Edgar Cayce. On page 4, he identifies Edgar Cayce as an incredibly accurate psychic. However, merely being incredibly accurate is not good enough for one to have complete confidence. Deuteronomy 18:22 says, "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." In short, people can never fully trust their eternal fate to someone who is only incredibly accurate. The prophets of the living God were correct and totally accurate one hundred out of one hundred times. Their words could be trusted during their days, and they can still be trusted today.
Who Created Ra? On page 7 of the opening chapter, the author begins a discussion of the Ra spiritual group, which according to him is "from the sixth dimension" and "millions of years more advanced than modern humanity." Unfortunately, the author never mentions how Ra came about or where it came from, so the question is who or what created it. Where did this extraterrestrial group originate? According to the Thomist Cosmological argument, developed by Thomas Aquinas several centuries ago, everything that exists was caused by something else that existed before it, with the only exception being the First Cause [3]. Is Ra the First Cause, or was it also created by a prior cause?
If the Ra spiritual group were created by a prior cause, which would suggest that there is a different First Cause, then people would be far better off if they listened to the First Cause rather than listen to a creature that was created by the First Cause. Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised." In this passage from Romans 1, the Apostle Paul was saying that God has revealed Himself to humanity through His creation of the universe but that people have often rejected that clear revelation in order to pursue their own form of wisdom. In Romans 1:22, Paul wrote, "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." If Ra is "THE TRUTH," then it must also be the Creator and God. Otherwise, it is just another voice and another theory or opinion in a world that is full of theories and opinions, and as such, rational people would be foolish (the Apostle Paul’s word, not mine) to give it too much credit.
What is Truth? On page 8, the author spoke of a Oneness that wants the peoples of this world to love each other, to get along with each other, and to spread harmony and truth. But he failed to define truth. What is truth? John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’"
According to the Bible, Jesus said that He was Truth, but what does that mean and how can anyone believe Him? The short answer is that Jesus is the First Cause, the Creator and God, and He proved these things by His resurrection. Rising from the grave three days after a Roman crucifixion, just as prophesized in Scripture, was no small feat. But He did so and walked the land for all to see. In addition, the Apostle Paul ascribed to Him the position of creator. Colossians 1:15-16 says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."
Throughout the Bible, others either gave Jesus the position of God, or He claimed it for Himself. And no one then or now has ever shown His words to be untrue or incorrect.
A Lack of Credible Authorities. In chapter 1, the author mentioned Dr. Don Elkins, Dr. Lefors Clark, Dr. Scott, and ex-NASA astrophysicist Maurice Chatelain. He also mentioned Dewey Larson, Jane Roberts, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Gerald Hawkins, Bruce Cathie, Richard Hoagland, Carl Munck, Ivan P. Sanderson, Goncharov, Morozov, Makarov, William Becker, Bethe Hagens, Edgar Cayce, Maurice Cotterell, and Aaron Du Val, but he did not provide a title or other form of qualifying identifier for them. The implication of these missing titles is that these individuals may not possess the needed skills to credibly do the work that they are said to have done.
Of the four more qualified individuals, Chatelain expanded humanity’s understanding of the Mayan Calendar, Dr. Scott worked with Atlantean ruins off the Florida coast, and Dr. Clark did research into the behavior of magnetism [4]. Dr. Elkins is the only individual with a doctorate degree to claim that he had any kind of involvement at all with Ra.
Comments on Chapter 2 – Harmonic Dimensions
As was quoted above, John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’" Jesus identified Himself in that passage as the way, the truth, and the life. He also said that a person could only get back to the Father through Him. However, in the Bible, there is never any mention of different dimensions of existence or of extraterrestrial life. Has God for some reason hidden these truths from previous generations and only now decided to disclose them to the author of this book? If so, did God the Father also decide that an extraterrestrial named Ra was the one to enlighten us?
No one knows for certain the answer to these questions, but they are questions that every reader should at least consider. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." If the Bible is correct, then Ra would have to be the Son of God, the crucified One Who died on the cross at Calvary for our sins, but the author does not make any such claim on behalf of Ra.
Isaiah 14:12-14 says, "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’" In the King James Version of the Bible, the expression "O morning star" is translated "Lucifer", which is a transliteration from the original Hebrew. Lucifer is the one who wanted to be like God, and he is the one who was cast down from heaven. Lucifer is the fallen angel, and he also is identified as Satan.
According to Scripture, Satan next appeared in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:1-5, the Bible says, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’" Mankind has always suffered from a desire to be like God, but he will never make it.
Jesus Claimed to be and is God. Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh, and the Bible supports His claim. Jesus claimed to have been at creation, and the Bible supports that claim. He was not born as man only and then magically transformed into part-God and part-man. He was born fully God and fully man. Each of us was born fully human, and fully human we shall remain. We will never have the total abilities of Jesus, and we will never have His position with His Father.
Jesus was not birthed into this life merely so that we could have a good example for life or even so that we could someday do works equal to or superior to Him. According to John 10:10, He came so that we could have life and have it more abundantly. According to John 3:16, He came so that we could have eternal life through a belief in Him. According to Luke 19:10, He came to seek and to save the lost. According to Scripture, we do not simply look to Him and find a way within ourselves to save ourselves. Try as we might, we will never lift ourselves up to His level. Instead, we must humble ourselves before Him, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and then receive Him in faith as our Savior and Lord.
More Lack of References. On page 10 of the second chapter, the author once again talks about things that he does not explain. For instance, how does he know that each of the sixty-four symbols of the four elements of earth, air, water, and fire "refers to a different archetype or experience that all must go through while alive on Earth"? He does not try to explain this statement, and he certainly does not offer any kind of proof.
On the same page, he makes general references to I Ching and to the Cayce Readings, but he does not provide any specifics so that someone can do additional research. The author’s failure to reference credible sources makes it very difficult for anyone to challenge what he has written. Merely dropping a few names, as he has done in both of the first two chapters, is not sufficient for someone who is trying to present such a radical viewpoint.
Inductive Reasoning. In deductive reasoning, one begins with theory and tries to produce data to support the theory. With inductive reasoning, which this author seems to be using, the theorist begins with data and tries to develop the theory that led to the production of the data. On pages 10 through 13, Mr. Wilcock discusses some connections between light, sound, and geometry. He says that we have all the metaphors that we need and that the pieces of the puzzle all fit together to show us the Infinite Simplicity of God [5]. On page 13, he mentions the number 144,000 and says that this number is also referred to in the Bible, but he does not say how the number is used in the Bible.
The point is that 144,000 might be a foundation number for the baktun, but it is not a foundational number of the Bible. Also, the fact that the same number appears in more than one place does not communicate any profoundly deep truths. He identifies some other basic numbers and then says that they are the foundation of the whole visible universe and that they are involved with the makeup of the different dimensions. But once again, he has not gone far enough.
Still in the Dark. Many individuals have tried to understand the mysteries of the universe, but most or even all have failed. While Mr. Wilcock has presented, in chapter two, a discussion of similar numbers that show up across different systems and talked about extraterrestrial life communications, he still has not answered the basic question of where everything began. Who or what created Ra? Who or what created each of us? People would benefit far more if they could talk to the one who created Ra rather than talk with Ra. Similarly, they would benefit more if they could talk to their own Creator rather than listen to someone who might have talked to Ra. Even if Ra is real and even if Ra is great, there is One Who is greater still.
Comments on Chapter Three – Harmonic Pyramids
In Chapter Three, Mr. Wilcock continues to make many unproven, non-referenced statements, and he continues to make assumptions that probably are not warranted. On page 1, he says that Creation is seen in a three-dimensional, physically compressed manifestation of the consciousness units, but he cannot and does not prove his statement.
Having to Make Assumptions. No one can speak with absolute certainty about Creation because none of us were there. A person must always make some fundamental assumptions about Creation before trying to explain it. The theologian must assume that God pre-existed in order to create the universe. The big bang theorist must assume that the infinitely small mass that exploded outward pre-existed in order for the explosion to even occur. The evolutionist must assume that the pre-biotic soup for the spontaneous production of life pre-existed before any of the other evolution stuff could have occurred. In reality, Mr. Wilcock has assumed that the three-dimensional, physically compressed manifestation of consciousness units is true rather than actually showing that it is true.
More Unsubstantiated Writing. On page 2, the author again uses inductive reasoning when he discusses those things that are organized into octaves. Without showing causal relationships, all he has done is link some common entities in hopes that the reader will inductively move from the presented data to the desired theory. Rather than saying that we know "this octave is comprised interdependently of light, sound, and geometry," the author would do better to mathematically prove that the octave is so comprised. Similarly, the simple correlations among planetary orbits, conjunctions, and Cycles do not guarantee a causal relationship either.
Also on page 2, he mentions psychic readings that show the energy of our own dimension pulsating throughout all the others. But he does not explain why the reader should automatically accept these non-referenced, unexplained readings. How does the reader know that the readings are true? In order to accept what Mr. Wilcock is saying as truth, one must assume that the psychic readings are true.
On page 4, he writes that "certain physicists" have made some assertions. But who are these physicists, and how can the reader find their assertions? He also mentions "zero-point energy" and says that we know it exists even though we do not see it. How do we know this? Are there any proofs to support this claim? Have any scientific studies been done? In order for a reader to accept these remarks, he or she must have absolute confidence in Mr. Wilcock and the psychic process. What Mr. Wilcock has written is not good science, and the fact that he has had to revise it numerous times means that it is not good theology either. Critics can say what they want about the Christian Bible, but it was written only one time, by about 30 or 40 different authors, over a span of about 1,600 years, and it has never been revised.
The Egyptian Great Pyramid. Mr. Wilcock talks about the Egyptian Great Pyramid on page 5 and makes a statement about the relationship between the base, the height, and the pi ratio. Then, he says, "the Pyramid mathematically fits perfectly within a half-sphere," but so what? He tries to link the consciousness unit, which is the pyramid, and energy, but he has once again failed to show that his assertions are correct. On page 6, he says "many Pyramidologists have pointed out" and "many have concluded," but he does not identify these people nor reference their work. He makes an assertion about the structure of the pyramid being designed to harness energy, but he does not show that this is true. His references to Lemesurier and Hoagland are incomplete because they do not reference their works.
On page 7, the author says that Ra was able to visualize how the stones of the pyramids were supposed to arrange themselves, and then it just happened. "Their visualizations would become reality." Without providing more proof for this kind of mind over matter exercise, Mr. Wilcock is asking too much of the reader. Further down the page, he mentions his "own sources," but he does not tell how the reader can find them.
Incorrect Assertions About Christianity. Mr. Wilcock occasionally mentions aspects of Christianity, but he does not make correct assertions about Christ. At the bottom of page 7, he associates higher-level energies with "becoming like a god and having Christlike abilities." As was pointed out above, mankind and womankind have always had a desire to be as a god and to have Christlike abilities, but such an objective will never be accomplished. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and such we will always be. Mr. Wilcock, on page 8, says, "Jesus enjoyed a former lifetime as Hermes," but this is wrong. Mr. Wilcock ignores Christ’s deity, His eternality, and the fact that the Bible credits Jesus with having created the universe (John 1:1-3).
Not the Bible. In closing out chapter three, the author continues making statements that he does not prove. He references data from Hoagland and others regarding Mars, but he then fails to discuss the empirical nature of the data or tell how the reader can find it. He says that NASA found "geometric ruins of unknown origin" on the Moon, but he does not carry his remark any further. Much of this text leaves the reader hanging and forced to draw his or her own conclusions. The author does very little or nothing to support his profound views, and this greatly takes away from the quality of his efforts.
Perhaps, a supporter of this book, The Shift of the Ages, would say that Mr. Wilcock and/or Ra are already at or near the "gods" level, so they do not need to expand on their unsubstantiated remarks. They say, and we the reader listen and accept. However, Mr. Wilcock has already demonstrated that Ra and he are not gods. The Christian Bible was written from about 1,500 B.C until 100 A.D.. It was written over a lengthy time period by many different authors, and it was only written once. By his own concession, Mr. Wilcock has been writing and re-writing this book for some time in order to get everything just right, but he still has not done so. The Bible is a book that has proven itself over time amid many critics. This book makes many more bold claims than the Bible, it does not offer any deductive proofs for those claims, and it has not stood the test of time. Clearly, the book is not the Bible, and one should not just read, listen, and accept.
Comments on Chapter Four – The Breath of the Divine
On page 1 of this chapter, the author refers to an individual named Mr. Walter Russell who apparently received a message from God about electromagnetism, gravity, and atomic energy. Did this message come from the God of the Bible, and if so, then why was the communication not more of a biblical nature? Why would God care if Mr. Russell knew anything about electromagnetism, gravity, and atomic energy? God speaks to His people through His Word, the Bible. He does not need to educate anyone about the three disciplines mentioned in this portion of the text. God’s message to mankind is one of redemption, not one of scientific enlightenment.
More Assumptions. Mr. Wilcock continues to use questionable contacts with extraterrestrials as though they were fact. He freely accepted Mr. Russell’s remarks without challenging their authenticity. A few paragraphs later, he freely accepts the claims of Ms. Jane Roberts about her involvement with the extraterrestrial Seth. Either he is very gullible, or he thinks that his audience is very gullible. Merely saying that these things are so does not automatically make them so.
Dropping Titles Again. Mr. Wilcock has once again identified an individual in his book by the title of doctor. On page 4, he refers to Dr. Michio Kaku as the author of the book, Hyperspace, and this suggests that the other people named throughout do not hold advanced degrees.
Comments on Chapter Five – The Edgar Cayce of Physics
On page 1 of this chapter, Mr. Wilcock again mentioned Dr. Kaku as the author of the book, Hyperspace, and Wilcock correctly quoted from a chapter of Dr. Kaku’s book entitled Superstrings [6]. Dr. Kaku calls Srinivasa Ramanujan a strange, but good mathematician. However, he does not call him a psychic, as does Mr. Wilcock. Dr. Kaku also does not refer to Ra or Seth but, for the most part, seems to be simply presenting his beliefs about hyperspace. He does point out that Ramanujan failed to provide sufficient proofs for a lot of his work, and to that end, he wrote, "Ramanujan’s legacy is his work, . . . packed with theorems of incredible power but without any commentary or, which is more frustrating, any proof" [7].
Show Me The Proof. Scientists have long looked for what they call a Theory of Everything, which would, of course, unlock all the mysteries of the universe. But in the preface of his book, Dr. Kaku wrote, "We caution that the theory of hyperspace has not yet been experimentally confirmed and would, in fact, be exceedingly difficult to prove in the laboratory" [8]. The reader of Mr. Wilcock’s book must remember that his beliefs about higher dimensions are only theory and that no documented proof exists to support his claims. Psychics reporting conversations with extraterrestrials are not proofs. Stating that something is very clear is not a proof.
Just as the religious community must assume the existence of God, the believers of higher dimensions must also assume that they exist. The real key is to examine as much evidence as possible and then try to make an intelligent, well thought out choice. I Kings 18:21 says, "Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’" Today, readers of all works that pertain to Creation must weigh evidence and make the same decision. Romans 3:4 says, "Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: ‘So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.’"
Forcing Psychic Phenomenon. On page 2 of chapter five, the author refers to the number 1729 and then notes that this number is equal to the sum of 13 and 123 and also the sum of 93 and 103. Having the ability to know such a mathematical phenomenon off the top of one’s head is quite remarkable, but Mr. Wilcock’s connection of this event to psychic power is not founded. Mr. Wilcock suggests that Ramanujan "could recite complex theorems in arithmetic that would require a modern computer to prove," but knowing the sum of a few cubed numbers is not theoretical. Mr. Wilcock also suggested that the numbers 9 and 12 have special significance, but he does not explain why the numbers 1 and 10 are also present in Ramanujan’s summation. If the cab number had been 21 and Ramanujan had pointed out that 9 plus 12 equals 21, would Mr. Wilcock have claimed that this, too, is a case of psychic power?
How Death Psychics Apparently Die. Mr. Wilcock also suggests that Ramanujan’s life was cut short by his having to work with higher psychic energies. But the unreferenced explanation that he quotes says that Ramanujan’s death was related to the war-torn British economy, his hampered vegetarian diet, and his being in and out of sanitariums. If the reader is to believe that Ramanujan died from the burden of having to deal with higher psychic energies, then Mr. Wilcock will have to find some references that are more convincing. One should also note that Dr. Kaku does not say or even imply that Ramanujan was a psychic. It is only Mr. Wilcock that seems to be pressing that point.
On pages 2 and 3 of Chapter Five, the author mentions Whitley Strieber as author of the book Transformation and says that extraterrestrials told Strieber that it was important for him to stop using refined sugar. The author points out that bad diet and intuitive burnout killed Ramanujan and even Edgar Cayce. He says that Cayce was an excessive smoker and coffee drinker and that he loved pork chops. When Cayce reached eight psychic readings per day, Mr. Wilcock says that he died of bad diet and intuitive burnout. Jane Roberts apparently died from drinking too much beer, smoking too many cigarettes, and intuitive burnout.
The author concludes this section, entitled Intuitive Burnout, by saying that, according to Ra, a good diet and exercise are important for psychics so that they will not die of intuitive burnout. Psychics all over the world should be grateful that Ra has told them about the importance of good diet and exercise. However, one should realize that bad diet and no exercise, combined with any behavior, would kill anyone. Bad diet, no exercise, and reading the Bible too much will kill a person. Bad diet, no exercise, and singing in the shower will kill a person. Bad diet, no exercise, and reading these comments about The Shift of the Ages will kill a person. Perhaps the author should have entitled this section, The Importance of Good Diet and Exercise, and not tried so hard to force a connection between death and psychic manifestations.
More Vague References and Unsubstantiated Claims. On page 4, the author makes more unsubstantiated claims and more vague references. First, he says that Ramanujan’s extreme mathematical genius was "coupled with an extremely legitimate psychic contact." If Mr. Wilcock is going to make such a remark, then he should back it up with a credible reference. Dr. Kaku wrote about Ramanujan, and he did not talk about any psychic contacts. The author also mentions the physics of Tony Smith, which are on the Internet and freely available to everyone, but he does not provide an adequate reference for finding Mr. Smith’s work. Does Mr. Smith have a webpage, and if so, can his work be easily found? Why has Mr. Wilcock chosen to not share that information with his reader? He provides an Internet address for the work of Richard Hawkins, which is www.newciv.org/Synergetic_Geometry, but he does not provide one for Mr. Smith.
Of note, the webpage address http://www.innerx.net/personal/tsmith/PDS3.html appears on page 7 of Chapter Five, and this address may satisfy the above criticism. However, Mr. Wilcock would improve his presentation if he provided these kinds of references at the same time that he is talking about the material, which in this case would have been on page 4 of this chapter.
Comments on Chapter Six – The Seth Entity and "Consciousness Units"
In Mr. Wilcock’s repeated mentioning of Seth and Ra, he places the reader at a terrible disadvantage. He does not indicate how someone can verify what these two beings have said, and he does not even tell the reader how someone can verify that these beings are real. Where does Ra live? Where does Seth live? What are their backgrounds and education levels? Where did they go to school? Have they written any books that the reader can examine? What kinds of work have they done that has allowed them to have so many answers? These are basic questions that would lend credence to Mr. Wilcock’s presentation. How can the reader trust what Seth and Ra are presumed to have said?
Theories, Not Theorems. On pages 1 and 2 of this chapter, the author mentions "superstring theory." On page 2, he then says, "we now know." Is his discussion about light traveling through aether energy fact or theory? Has this phenomenon been demonstrated in a laboratory setting, or is this simply one more of his many unsubstantiated, highly speculative claims? When theories can be proven, they are called theorems. When they cannot, they retain the label of theory, and they should not be treated as fact. Mr. Wilcock does not seem to understand the difference between theory and theorem. He does not seem to understand that scholarly literature is obligated to distinguish between speculation and fact. So far, through five chapters of writing, he has shared much about what must be considered highly speculative, but he has treated all of it as fact. When Seth and Ra tell him these things, does he ask them for any justification, or does he simply assume that they are correct?
On page two, Mr. Wilcock writes, "Cells are not just responsive to light because this is the order of things, but because an emotional desire to preceive light is present." How does he know this to be true? Has anyone observed or measured the emotional desires of cells responding to light? The "cutting-edge research" preformed by Gregg Braden sounds fairly convincing, but has Scientific American, Science Magazine, or some other professional resource published any articles to support these findings?
More Vague References. In reading this portion about Mr. Braden, it would seem clear that he does not possess a postgraduate degree and that he is not sponsored by a professional agency to do his research. Also, Mr. Wilcock has once again used a vague reference to try to inspire confidence in his reader. While saying "Gregg Braden in his various books" might sound impressive to someone reading this chapter, the statement does not convey any useful information. About what books is he referring? The author should be more clear, to the point of identifying the specific book or books by Mr. Braden, the page numbers of the referenced material, and the formal name and location of the publisher. Providing these types of detailed references is standard in all scholarly works.
Speculative and Biblical Theology. When a person reads the Bible, he or she often tries to speculate about what a particular passage or a particular word might "really" mean, and this is called speculative theology. Probably every reader of the Scriptures has engaged in this type of speculation from time to time. But when they do so, they run the risk of being wrong. Speculative theology is probably the cause of every major church division known to humanity. It is probably the reason for every denomination that exists, and these things have occurred simply because one group of individuals has read a Bible passage a little differently than another.
Being too speculative is risky, and being too speculative in interpreting the Bible over time has probably hurt the New Testament Church. The opposite of speculative theology is biblical theology, and this is where the reader does not speculate at all. In biblical theology, the reader will still compare Scripture against Scripture to gain a broader understanding of a particular passage, but he or she will not change or add to the wording in any way to enhance the message. They will simply let the words stand as they are written.
John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." If these words are allowed to stand exactly as they were written by the Apostle John, then how do they compare to what Seth and Ra are saying? The answer is that they do not. God is not some animated, scientific entity in the aether or elsewhere that is just there in multiple dimensions governing the universe. The Bible teaches that He is a Person, that He is the Creator of the universe, that He gave His only begotten Son, and that His desire is to save humanity from their sins through the shed blood of His Son.
God Exists in the Simple, not the Complicated. Throughout this book, The Shift of the Ages, it has been clear that the Mr. Wilcock is not content with the simple truth of the Gospel. Instead, he seems intent on creating drama, fireworks, and mystical excitement and on flooding his reader’s minds with thoughts of extraterrestrial beings and higher dimensions. I Corinthians 1:17-18 says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The Bible may be a tired, old Book in some people’s opinion, but its message is still crystal clear when it describes those who try to distort the simplicity of God’s salvation plan.
In I Kings 19:9-13, the Bible says, "There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’ The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
When God revealed himself to his prophet, He did not do so through the mighty, powerful wind, the earthquake, or the fire. As can be seen in the above passage, He was in the still small voice, and today, He is still in the still small voice. God will not be found neatly tucked between the workings of some scientific equation. For all the apparent wisdom of Ra and Seth and perhaps even Mr. Wilcock, they do not seem to have a clue.
Closing Remarks About "The Shift of the Ages"
References
Tom of Bethany
"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
Index to Secular Book Critiques
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