Customer Reviews

The Light That Was Dark: From the New Age to Amazing Grace

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For any persons who are considering involving themselves in New Age "spirituality"-which is really a very old spirituality-and might wonder what that spirituality is like and where it might take them, then Warren Smith's "The Light That Was Dark" is a must read.

For others involved in the pursuit of alternative spirituality and, for whatever the reason, have grown uncomfortable with their participation in it, then they will identify with author's spiritual journey as he shows the way out.

All readers though, will relate to the candor with which Warren reveals his experiences as a participant of the 60s and 70s counter culture. Readers will engage and be entertained by a wide variety of characters and ideas that the author encountered in his personal quest for spiritual meaning, during which time both he and his wife naively connected to what they thought would bring them spiritual power and freedom only to discover the reality of spiritual bondage.

Once the book is engaged, readers will finish the book. As an Ivy League graduate, Warren writes well. I heartily recommend the book.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. A few years ago, I was in a used bookstore in the New Age section and this book was misfiled in that section. I was raised a Christian, but drifted away in my later years. This is the book that opened my eyes to what the New Age really teaches and brought me back to the Bible and Jesus. Thank you Warren Smith for writting this book!....This is the story of Warren who got involved in New Age teachings and found out that there is a dark side to it and then he found his way out. This is an exciting book for Christians and non-Christians alike. I give it 5 stars.

This book is remarkable among spiritual autobiographies for being very well-written and engaging. Mr. Smith manages to demonstrate the problems that can occur from becoming too spiritually "open" without the protection of the Lord, while still showing respect for the friends he made during his "metaphysical" (New Age) days and for their beliefs. It may be hard to believe that in this day and age, people believe in a living intelligence traditionally called the devil, and that that devil seeks our destruction and can appear in our lives, but this book shows one way that it can truly come to pass. Highly recommended.

Like any testimony of salvation, The Light That Was Dark is a powerful reminder of the work of God in bringing a man to Christ in salvation. The reader feels the oppression as chapter after chapter narrates the author's sometimes supernatural spiritual journey, only to find that what he thought was light was no light at all. Like the unsaved seeker that the author was, the reader will sigh and long for something real, something true, something actually enlightening. When finally the author accepts Christ as Savior, it is an edifying reminder of the power of God over all other powers and His love to man in offering salvation.

This book is also an excellent introduction to the basic beliefs of what is commonly called the New Age. There is no better way to teach than through a story and this book teaches through that medium superbly. The Light That Was Dark is a page turner that is very riveting and yet so real, exalting above all the Savior of the world and instructing all to "beware of the light that is dark."

This is not a joke - the woo-woo, the New Age, the wonky metaphysical circles, the liberal Christian-friendly theology, the fallen angels masquerading as light, and here is one couples' journey to the truth. As with anything do not blindly believe either case ofr New Age versus traditional Catholic/Christian ... rather ... study both sides and make your own personal conslusion. A spiritual journey is a personal one but it always helps to read testimonies of others and make your own final choice. In all things ... do not be spiritually tampered one way or the other on both sides of the extreme.

Warren and Joy Smith are examples of how The Course in Miracles is totally inadequate when it comes to defending one's spirit from the evil one and his dominion. The Smith's were deeply involved in the study of The Course. Warren relates Joy's story in his book, The Light That Was Dark.

Joy was being spiritually harassed by a man who was highly proficient in astral projection (projecting his spirit for great distances). Warren relates how they faced the attacks. "We tried every metaphysical and spiritual technique we had ever learned--we repeated our Course in Miracles lessons, did visualizations, prayed as best we knew how, sent the spiritual intruder blessings, and kept the whole situation surrounded in white light--but none of it had any effect. We had to wait it out. The spiritual presence was calling the shots."

After an intense time of frustration, they went to their course study leaders for help. Joy explained that they "had repeatedly applied their Course in Miracles lessons, such as: 'There is nothing to fear,' 'In my defenselessness my safety lies,' and, 'I could see peace instead of this.'" After explaining that nothing had worked, Frank, their study leader, "made it clear that he agreed with the Course's metaphysical teaching that evil was only an illusion and that the experience was probably something that Joy was working out within herself."

Frank's wife, Trudy, was dazed when she heard herself say, "Put on the whole armor of God and stand fast against the wiles of the devil!" In amazement at herself she added, "Ephesians 6:10. It's in your Bible."

Trudy went on and said, "I'm sorry, Frank. There is a devil . . . read Ephesians!" In the days ahead Joy continued to undergo the harassing attacks. During this time of uncertainty Warren visited a bookstore and discovered a book entitled The Beautiful Side of Evil by Johanna Michaelsen. He read it through and decided its message of deliverance was worth a try.

It wasn't long before he had an opportunity to test his newly found discovery--biblical exorcism. Joy fell into a depression as she had on so many occasions, and Warren seized the opportunity to act.

He relates the incident in his book this way, "Reading from my notes the exact words that I had taken from Johanna's book, I firmly addressed the presence. 'Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you to be gone! I forbid your presence here. I claim the protection of the blood of Jesus upon us. Go where Jesus sends you!" Immediately Joy's face cleared and the oppression was gone.

Warren later remarked, "We were amazed that the presence left every time we called on his [Jesus Christ's] name. Nothing in A Course in Miracles or any other metaphysical teachings had ever talked about this aspect of Jesus."

Warren and Joy's encounter with personal evil ultimately convinced them that the Bible was the spiritual teaching that they could rely on. Warren said it best, "So far it hasn't let us down."

Like a novel in the way it made you turn the pages to find out what happens next. Really interesting and well-written. I felt the author was painfully honest about himself and tried to relate exactly what happened as accurately as possible.

This is a good account of one person's (actually two) experience with chasing spirituality the wrong way and finding out that evil actually exists despite what some New Age teachings say. It's a good lesson, and a quick easy read. I read it in one weekend and I usually take weeks to finish a book. My take is this: if evil exists in the material world around us, then why wouldn't it exist in the "higher" realms above us, but in a more sophisticated form? Asking blindly for any and all spiritual assistance from the "other side" is as foolish as a blind person standing on an inner city street corner and yelling for any available help. They might get helped or they might get mugged. Better to have a seeing eye dog or friend along who knows the territory. Overall, I liked the book.

I enjoyed this book by Warren Smith, and found it to be well-written, thoughtful, and honest. Mr. Smith is very open in the book about the events of his life that led up to his involvement with the New Age. I found that he really took risks, as some of the stories that he shared (specifically about the "Mad Magician") could be used against him by people who support the New Age Movement.

My favorite passage in the book is on p. 147: "Finally, after all we had been through, I was starting to see that the heart of the gospel is not so much that God helps those who help themselves, but, rather, that God helps those who can't help themselves. It was not in affirming our strength but in recognizing our weakness that we had finally learned to ask the Lord for help. It was His grace, not our own self-sufficiency that had saved the day."

This would be a good book to give someone who is involved in the New Age Movement or the occult. Read this along with Inside the New Age Nightmare by Randall N. Baer. Both books expose the truth about what the New Age really is.Inside the New Age Nightmare: For the First Time Ever...a Former Top New Age Leader Takes You on a Dramatic Journey

After dinner, I started reading Warren Smith's book, "The Light That Was Dark," and kept reading until 3:00 in the morning -- only needing sleep kept me from reading clear through to the end. It is one of the best written life-changing stories I have read. You forget you are reading a book, and find yourself right there with Warren as he is taking you through his jorney from a very much involved New-Ager, seeking to do only good -- but finding he had gotten himself caught in a dark demonic world. He then takes you through his incredible rescue by the REAL Jesus. All I can say is -- get the book!

Warren Smith gives a fantastic account of how he left the New Age/Occult movements of the world and found the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a sometimes chilling and definately moving book that will really bring to light the battle raging around us that we cannot see in the Spiritual world. I would highly recommend anyone to read this novel as we see these demonic practices becoming more and more prevelent in the days we are living in.