Sometimes It Takes a Miracle

Jim Sieber found Christ more sufficient than self-realization

Foursquare pastor Jim Cecil believes it will take miracles to reach many meditators. That is exactly what happened with Jim Sieber.

Sieber became a meditator to promote world peace and to better himself through healthful living. After taking the Sidhi course, Sieber moved to Fairfield in 1982 with his wife, Nancy, and their four daughters to be part of the meditating community. But TM had no answer for why his 5-year-old daughter, Rachael, had grand mal seizures with increasing frequency and intensity.

The Siebers visited the Foursquare church, and during one service Cecil asked if anyone needed prayer. Rachael, emaciated from vomiting her medicines and wearing a helmet to protect her bruised head, raised her hand and asked for Jesus to heal her seizures. Church members gathered around her to pray, and the seizures ended.

“To wed Christianity and TM was impossible,” says Sieber, now a 53-year-old prison guard.

“No man can serve two masters, and in the movement, Maharishi is master. You can’t get around the scriptural statement that Jesus is the only Son of God.”

Related Elsewhere

Be sure to read Christianity Today‘s related stories “Field of TM Dreams | Fairfield Iowa is now a major center for Transcendental Meditation” and “Mere Transcendental Meditation | The basic concepts of neo-Vedanta philosophy.”

Send us feedback...
Send us feedback…

Also in this issue

Learning the Ancient Rhythms of Prayer: Why charismatics and evangelicals, among others, are flocking to communities famous for set prayers and worship by the clock.

Cover Story

Learning the Ancient Rhythms of Prayer

Paul Boers

Briefs: North America

Community, Not Commodity

What If They Didn't Know?

Richard Besancon

Semi-Amazing Grace

Douglas LeBlanc

The Culture of Co-Opted Belief?

Terry Mattingly

Pander Politics

The Bush Agenda

Tony Carnes

Canadian Conservative Called ’Racist’

Jody Veenker

Updates

Religious Right Loses Power

Tony Carnes

Quotations to Stir Mind and Heart

Richard A. Kauffman

Church of God in Christ: COGIC Presiding Bishop Ousted

Corrie Cutrer

Evangelism: Downtown Evangelism Makes a Comeback

Rusty Wright

Technology: Reinventing Communion Prep

Ken Walker

Turkmenistan: Christians Beatn, Tortured

Barbara G. Baker

Congo: Roadblocks to Mercy

Sue Sprenkle in Nairobi, Kenya

Briefs: The World

Sweden: Locked Out

Tomas Dixon in Gothenburg, Sweden

Colombia: Death Threats Denied

Deann Alford

Kenya: Muslim-Christian Riots Rock Nairobi

Odhiambo Okite

Seeing the Whole Field

Jeff M. Sellers

Wire Story

Strapped NCC Gets $400K ’Advance’ from Methodists

Religion News Service

What Rap Does Right

A Christianity Today Interview

Real Political Realism

The Rise and Fall of the Daily Office

Arthur Paul Boers

A Vespers Office

Phyllis Tickle's

Hip-Hop Kingdom Come

William J. Brown & Benson P. Fraser

Five Things Clinton Taught Us

Gabriel Fackre

The Glory of the Ordinary

Jeff M. Sellers

News

Rock's Real Rebels

Kevin A. Miller

The Peace Regress

Jonathan Kuttab

Conflict in the Holy Land: A CT Timeline

Jonathan Kuttab

Field of TM Dreams

John W. Kennedy

Mere Transcendental Meditation

Irving Hexham

Letters

Editorial

The Evil of Two Lessers

A Christianity Today Editorial

Bigotry in Canada

Christianity Today Editorial

Readers' Forum: First Church of Signs and Wonders

Chris Lutes

View issue

Our Latest

The Bulletin

Kidnappings in Nigeria, Rep. Greene Resigns, Mamdani Meets Trump

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll

Persecution in Nigeria, Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns, Mamdani and Trump have a friendly meeting, and listeners give thanks.

Excerpt

You Know Them As Fantasy Writers. They Were Soldiers Too. 

Joseph Loconte

An excerpt from ‘The War for Middle-Earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945.’

Our Prayers Don’t Disappear into Thin Air

Bohye Kim

Why Scripture talks of our entreaties to God as rising like incense.

From Outer Space to Rome

In 1962, CT engaged friends and enemies in the Cold War and the Second Vatican Council.

May Cause a Spontaneous Outburst of Festive Joy

8 new Christmas albums for holiday parties, praise, and playlists.

Excerpt

Meet CT’s New President

The Bulletin with Nicole Martin and Walter Kim

Nicole Martin seeks to mend evangelical divides and uphold biblical truth.

The Christmas Cloud

Dave Harvey

Christmas feels decidedly unmerry when our emotions don’t align with truth.

Night Skies and Dark Paths

Scott James

God is our unwavering guide through incomprehensible darkness.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube