SHAM: Great Book Exposing Great Frauds

by  Steve Salerno

This book encapsulates the cult of self-esteem and self-help which has swept this country, and has not helped ourselves, but rather hindered our growth as men and women, who can never find our place and peace, or purpose, with hte Prince of Peace.

The joy and lasting purpose in our lives cannot be found in ourselves.

Self-help is a delusion, which implies that of ourselves we have whatever it takes to make in this world.

Yet if we are sick, unhappy, frustrated in our lvis, then in stands to reason that whatever we need is not within us, but rather outside, not dependent on our efforts and effects.

The Gospel, as presented in the Bible, through the loving help of Daddy God, could not make it any simpler:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 4-8)

We were dead in our trespasses. Death speaks of separation from God, not strictly physicall cessation of movement.

This life is given back to us because we have been redeemed from this death (Galatians 3: 13)

Life is not about trying to fix ourselves, but rather accepting that this is a fallen earth, yet we can reign in life through the risen Christ:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

We were never intended to suffer limitations and privations under other people, and certainly not in bondage to ourselves.

Yet in the name of self-help, men and women find themselves going around and around like dogs chasing their own tails.

God never intended such an empty frustrating life for His creation.

In fact, God grants us the easiest route to excellence, through His Son:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

The way of Cain, the way of hte world, the deception of Satan, is convincing people that if they try harder, do more, follow all the rules, then he can achieve good things.

No!

The  modern manifestation of this falsehood is pervasive in the SHAM legacy, (Self-Help and Actualization Movement), which tells people that they can have if they do, think, follow the steps laid out by some guru.

And speaking of following steps laid out by some guru, let us look no further than Alcoholics Anonymous, where we find the most bankrupt of cults, which teach new converts to identify with a perversion, then revert them to doing their very best to stay one step ahead of this "disease". Thus a new member's life is all wrapped up in not drinking, as if that should be the most important decision any person makes in his or her life.

SHAM is exactly that, because in telling people that they need to do more to have more, they teach people to ignore the very One who has all things, and freely gives to all who are willing to believe:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)


And then

"4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 4-8)
Paul also explains in Romans:

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-24)

SHAM is a scam, and AA is one of the most prolific and famous (or rather infamous) SHAM scams out there.