Deepak Chopra’s ‘Catholic’ Admirers

When I first took issue with Dr. Deepak Chopra’s book, The Third Jesus, my criticism was based on a few excerpts from the Introduction that I had seen on one of the news sites I frequent on the web. The fact that I titled my short post “In the Vanguard of the Antichrist” led to its being noted on the Chopra Center homepage. Loyal bloggers were quick to defend the doctor; however, a couple of them who did so were out for blood. One wrote: “Crucify him!” Another opted that I be taken somewhere and given a “beating.” “Why?” he asked himself. “Oh, just because,” he answered. I think the first was just trying to be humorous in his own dark way. The second poster, however, reminded me of the English heretics who enjoyed disemboweling Catholics, “just because” they were Catholics.

Chopra posts gushing testimonials from four prominent “Catholics” in order to bolster the universal appeal of his book. The first one he cites, Miceal Ledwith, is made to look like he is an adviser to the pope, because he was on the Vatican’s International Theological Commission for seventeen years. This Commission, of which he is no longer a member anyway, is a joke, a wasted endeavor, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, not the pope personally, decides on who gets on it. Every diocese in the world gets to make a contribution of at least two “theologians”. It hosts a wide spectrum of members some of whom wouldn’t even recognize others on the Commission as being Catholic. Ledwith was dismissed by the Vatican from the active priesthood in 2005. One of the reasons was his long-standing promotion of new age theosophy. He had personally participated in the dedication of a new age retreat and school in California, Ramtha’s School of Ancient Wisdom. If anyone wants to know how bizarre this ex-catholic is check his eerie website at www.hamburgeruniverse.com. His four degrees in philosophy and theology only make his apostasy more culpable.

Then there’s Sister Judian Breitenbach of the Catholic order of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. She is identified as the Founder of the Sari Asher Namaste’ Center in LaPorte, Indiana. She is a yoga instructor. That’s all I know about her and it’s enough.

Two priests, both in “good standing” with the Catholic Church endorsed the book. They are Rev. Edward J. Ruetz, retired , and Father Paul Keenan, Director of Radio Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York. From the comments they made in support of The Third Jesus it is clear that their karma ran over their dogma a long time ago.

I ended up buying the book. Here are my thoughts about it.