Tag Archive for: Melissa Dougherty

Who’s Teaching Happy Lies? with Melissa Dougherty

In last week’s episode, Melissa Dougherty, author of the brand-new book, ‘Happy Lies‘, joined Frank to discuss the foundational beliefs of the New Thought movement and how its theology has misled many well-meaning Christians. This week, Melissa is back to dig even deeper into the surprising and troubling connections between New Thought and the Word of Faith movement and to share names of specific teachers of this false doctrine. Tune in as they answer questions like:

  • How did the “seeker-friendly” church model begin and why doesn’t it work long-term?
  • Does Joel Osteen believe that we’re “little gods”?
  • Is it ok to name false teachers?
  • How can New Thought and Word of Faith potentially shipwreck your faith?
  • Would Jesus and the Apostles agree with these teachings?

You definitely don’t want to miss this eye-opening discussion about the origins of the so-called “Health, Wealth, and Prosperity Gospel”. Be sure to pre-order your copy of Melissa’s brand-new book, ‘Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World‘ and listen to the previous podcast episode if you missed it last week!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Are You Believing Happy Lies? (Part 1): https://bit.ly/4aihP69

Melissa’s Book – ‘Happy Lies’: https://a.co/d/igzRfqQ

Melissa’s Website: https://www.melissadougherty.co/

Melissa’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaDougherty/

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Are You Believing Happy Lies? with Melissa Dougherty

Is the Bible just about encouragement, living “your truth,” seeking personal happiness, finding your identity, and manifesting your desires? This self-centered perspective has quietly crept into the minds of many well-meaning Christians who are influenced by cultural lies that have been disguised as spiritual truths. But what are some of these “happy lies” you might unknowingly believe as a Christian and how can you correct them?

In this week’s podcast, Frank welcomes our good friend, author, and Christian YouTuber, Melissa Dougherty, to discuss her brand new book, ‘Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World‘. Together, they’ll dive into the beliefs of the New Thought movement and its profound (yet often unnoticed) impact on the modern Church. During their conversation, Frank and Melissa will tackle questions like:

  • What is the purpose of life according to the New Thought movement?
  • What’s the difference between New Thought and New Age?
  • Is there a connection between New Thought and the Word of Faith movement?
  • Should Christians recite affirmations?
  • What do adherents of New Thought mean by “Christ Consciousness”?
  • What are some of the key verses that are used in the New Thought movement and how are they twisted to deceive Christians?

If you’ve never heard of New Thought, this episode will uncover how its teachings deceptively infiltrate Christian culture, distort Scripture, and subtly influence your worldview. Could some of the most well-known pastors be peddling New Thought in the pulpits of America today? Tune in next week for the surprising answer in the midweek podcast and make sure you pre-order a copy of Melissa’s book, ‘Happy Lies‘!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Melissa’s Book – ‘Happy Lies’: https://a.co/d/igzRfqQ

Melissa’s Website: https://www.melissadougherty.co/

Melissa’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaDougherty/

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Why People Love a False Jesus

By Melissa Dougherty

You know something I never see? I never see the average person say that Buddha was made up from stories of ancient pagan gods. Or that Gandhi was actually a Jewish mystic who was misunderstood. Or that Mohammad was an atheist. There’s usually only one historical figure that is distorted more than any other to fit whatever modern agenda they need at the moment: Jesus Christ.

You can get the identity of Buddha, Gandhi, Mohammad, and even other historical figures such as Alexander the Great or Abraham Lincoln wrong, and it does not have any bearing on what that means to you spiritually. In a manner of speaking, who they are is meaningless in this regard. But people would correct you in a hot second if you made a false claim about who they are historically. This is because it’s verifiable to see who these people were, what they did, and what they stood for.

So why do people not hold this same standard to Jesus, the one Person who can affect their spiritual standing before God? I believe there are a few reasons.

1. People Don’t Want Jesus to Be What the Bible Says.

If Jesus is who He says He is, and the Bible is true, then this has consequences. Does it really matter if Buddha wasn’t who He claimed to be? Not really. People might feel a little jaded, but they would believe that their spirituality wouldn’t be in limbo. However, Christianity is different. Jesus’s claim to divinity and the exclusive way to be saved has consequences for humanity. And, quite simply, humans love to run after other gods. They have to turn away from idols and self-worship to turn to the One True God who has the power to save. But that means giving up certain aspects of their lifestyle that are sinful they have grown accustomed to. It brings them death and destruction and they are blinded by it. Jesus says in John 3:19-20 that “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of the light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

So people make another Jesus that likes what they like, believes what they believe, and approves of what they do.

2. Spiritual Warfare

I don’t find it to be any coincidence at all that it’s specifically Jesus who has all the attention when it comes to the variety of identities. Satan doesn’t care if you say you believe in God. Even he believes that. He doesn’t even care if you believe in Jesus. As long as it’s a false Jesus, one that has no power to save you. This is one of the oldest rules in the devil’s playbook: distort Jesus. His energy goes into fighting truth, not lies. Jesus says Satan is the Father of Lies and that it would be foolish for Satan to cast himself out because then his kingdom wouldn’t stand. He perpetuates the lies and does what he can to distort the truth.

Who cares about the other spiritual figures because they aren’t really his target. If anything, they’re his allies.

3. People See Truth as Hate

We live in an odd time. People don’t want truth. They want affirmation. This is true even outside of religious circles but also exists in casual friendships, families, and work acquaintances. I’m sure people have witnessed other people’s complete lack of humility and perhaps even a complete disconnect from reality, all in the name of “their truth.” They want their voice to be heard. And they make it heard by shutting everyone else up. It’s a grand level of entitlement that is sweeping our nation with a vengeance. So, when you speak up about Jesus and who He really is, as described in the Bible, if it hurts them emotionally or is seen as unloving, then they discard it because it’s hateful. Our culture has a strong view of truth: if it’s not loving, then it’s not true. This is how the average postmodern New Ager sees truth, too, by the way.

So, their guard goes up if they perceive anything that you’re saying as hurtful to them. Ironically, what informs this way of thinking usually comes from a place of hurt. But instead of looking at it as an obstacle to overcome and grow from, people now expect others to cater to their emotional needs with no expectation of themselves to take any responsibility to grow.

False Christ, False Gospel

Ultimately, when people deny truth and who Jesus is, they are embracing a false version of Him who isn’t going to save anybody. They might have some comfort in their denial, but it’s only a comfort that leads to destruction. Stop running from Jesus. Run to Him. Go to the Scriptures and read about who Jesus is. Let the Holy Spirit guide and convict you and lead you to the Living Waters, the Bread of Life, who will give you what you’ve been yearning for.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Was Jesus Intolerant? by Frank Turek (DVD and Mp4)

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

Cold Case Resurrection Set by J. Warner Wallace (books)  

Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).

 

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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What Does it Mean to be “Legalistic?”

Legalism. What do you think of when you hear this word? Some people might think of someone who is a stick in the mud. Maybe even someone who relies on the Bible too much instead of following their hearts. Some might think of a strict religion with lots of rules. Others say it’s a “spirit” of criticism and division.

I believe one of the best ways to define legalism is as follows: Legalism entails the establishment of man-made rules and traditions as the benchmark for what is considered holy and right. This is precisely what the Pharisees did, imposing an unattainable burden where almost every action and word is deemed wrong and sinful by these standards. For example, I remember someone giving me an earful when I decided to place my Bible on the floor because my purse had fallen over, and I needed to pick it up. Some people believe that placing the Bible on the floor or putting any object on it means you are disrespecting God. Muslims hold a similar belief regarding the Quran. I believe this is truly what makes the distinction between regarding the Bible as the word of God and literally worshiping it. It’s a holy book. We need to read and study it. But it’s physically just an object. This mindset causes Christians to hold impossible standards for themselves and others.

If the King James Bible was good enough for Jesus It’s good enough for me. . . right?

Legalism looks like instructing women not to wear pants or makeup, permitting only specific foods at certain times, and adopting a skewed perspective on holiness, just to name a few. I know this from experience. When I first became a Christian, I attended what I would consider a highly legalistic church. This church had numerous stringent rules, such as women being forbidden to wear pants, allowing only one ear piercing per ear, prohibiting tattoos, disallowing music with drums (which included movies or shows featuring drums as well, as everything was perceived as either demonic or worldly), insisting on the exclusive use of the King James version of the Bible, prohibiting the placement of the Bible anywhere other than on a table or shelf, forbidding writing in it, and even dictating how bright and colorful your clothes could be.

A Burden that’s Breaking People’s Faith

This is the essence of legalism. Many Christians would be surprised to know that this is a significant factor contributing to many people’s deconstructing faith. It is a burden imposed by people, not by God, which gives the perception of an angry and distant God who is perpetually displeased with you, no matter how hard you try.

Here Christians must understand the difference between holiness and legalism. They are not the same. Holiness is being set apart, adhering to God’s standards rather than conforming to worldly norms. Legalism tells you to strictly adhere to man-made rules, often discouraging critical thinking. This distinction is key. For example, questioning someone who claims to have received a message from God is not legalism. This is practicing discernment, which is what we’re supposed to do. It raises a huge red flag when a teacher refuses to entertain questions or scrutiny regarding their teachings or messages.

Where’s the Love?

True Christianity involves reading the Bible, comprehending its content, and obeying God out of love. This is a reasonable expectation for those claiming to be Christians. It does not however mean we have to become overly critical or judgmental. Excessive legalism lacks grace. Legalism is aggressive and accusatory. Jesus removes burdens, while legalism restores them. This reminds me of the animated version of “Pilgrim’s Progress,” where the character Christian encounters Legality Hill, a mountain covered in countless rules resembling the Ten Commandments. An angry god at the top of the mountain instructs Christian to follow all the rules to reach him, ultimately showing the impossibility of such impossible demands. This is one of the best pictures of what legalism looks like.

Jesus saved His harshest words for the Pharisees who were the poster children of the day for legalism. Listen, He did not denounce their good deeds, but rather their hypocrisy and prioritization of tradition and human-made rules over God’s commands. Don’t miss this distinction. Many religious denominations, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and various Word of Faith teachings, adopt a works-based approach, where salvation depends on your actions rather than faith in Jesus alone. Extreme legalism often comes from fear and pride. People are afraid of being deceived. And in that fear of deception, they may become ungracious and overbearing towards other people. Think of a helicopter Christian, trying to protect everyone from anything bad ever happening to them. They overdo it.

It’s essential to stand for truth, the Gospel, and the core doctrines of what the Bible teaches, it is equally important not to impose an unreasonable burden on others without extending grace. Love doesn’t mean we’re pushovers. It means we speak truth. But we’re wise and discerning and not overbearing jerks about it. We’d be wise to remember the message in 1 Corinthians 13 about love. Without speaking and acting in love, our words become mere noise, like a clanging gong.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide)

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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Is Christmas Pagan?

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Tree decorating. Repetitive Christmas music on the radio. Sleigh bells ringing. Chestnuts burning. (Like, what does this even mean? Do people actually do this?) And the incessant cyber throat-punching over Christians who celebrate Christmas are actually celebrating an evil pagan holiday.

Ah… it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Christmas is that magical time of the year again, full of bright lights, joyful music, and the warm and fuzzy feelings of family and gift-giving. But every so often, you might hear a claim tossed around that Christmas is rooted in pagan traditions. There are many people, especially online, who take this time of year very personally and feel the need to remind Christians that we are, indeed, participating in a pagan holiday. This can be very confusing for some Christians. They want to make sure they’re doing the right thing in God’s eyes but also don’t want to miss out on a holiday that worships our Lord because some people— passionate as they may seem— might be misled about this topic. If you’re a Christian, you might be left scratching your head, wondering if there’s any truth to these claims. Let’s break it down and look at Christmas from the Christian perspective.

A History Lesson (Don’t Worry, It’s a Short One!) 

The mix-up often comes from the fact that Christmas is celebrated around the same time as the winter solstice and some ancient Roman festivals like Saturnalia. The early Christians didn’t have Jesus’s exact birthdate in their calendars. Deciding to celebrate on December 25th wasn’t about hopping on the pagan bandwagon, though. It was more about carving out a Christian identity that was distinct and separate from these celebrations. So the irony here is they were trying to be distinct from pagan practices, not syncretize with them.

Jesus’s Birthday Bash

From a Christian viewpoint, Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and it’s got nothing to do with pagan festivals. This is probably the one that I want to emphasize the most. Think of the entire point of Christmas. It’s not a fake or false worship of Jesus, but the exact opposite. It’s remembering His birth and how God became human. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament give us these deets on Jesus’s birth. It involves heavenly announcements, prophetic fulfillments, and divine revelations – not exactly your typical pagan celebration ingredients.

All About Those Traditions

Across the ages, Christians have crafted and refined a plethora of charming traditions to honor and celebrate the holiday of Christmas. These customs range from the use of Advent calendars to mark the days leading up to the event, to the lighting of candles to signify the arrival of the Christ child. Another beloved activity is the singing of carols, which often feature lyrics that tell the story of the Nativity. Finally, many Christians enjoy creating intricate and beautiful nativity scenes, which depict the manger where Jesus was born surrounded by various characters from the Bible. These beloved traditions are deeply rooted in the Christian faith and are regarded as essential components of the Christmas season, rather than being borrowed from other religious or cultural practices.

The Real Meaning of Christmas

I alluded to this before, but it is worth noting that Christmas holds a significant connection to the Christian faith. The holiday revolves around the doctrine of the incarnation, which is the belief that God took on human form through the birth of Jesus. The idea of the incarnation is deeply rooted in the New Testament and was frequently discussed by the Apostle Paul in his letters. He emphasized the incredible mystery and beauty of this belief, which has been central to the Christian faith for centuries. As a result, various Christian customs have developed over time to celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. These customs range from religious services and prayer to gift-giving and festive decorations. Overall, Christmas is a time for Christians to reflect on the significance of the incarnation and to celebrate the joy of Jesus’s birth.

Wrapping It Up (See What I Did There?) 

So, there you have it. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and numerous Christians (and even non-Christians!) have written about this topic, debunking it over and over again. When it comes to Christmas, it’s essential to separate myth from fact. For Christians, Christmas isn’t a refurbished pagan holiday but a heartfelt celebration of the birth of Jesus, with its unique traditions and meanings. Sure, Christmas trees and gift exchanges are all good, but at the core, it’s all about remembering that moment when heaven touched earth. In this context, Christmas will always be a Christian holiday. For that, I’m grateful.

I made a satirical video about this on my YouTube channel. I used my most controversial character, Judy McJudgerson, to make this point. So… even if you don’t agree with me, I hope you get a kick out of the mediocre wig. You can check it out here.

So no. Christmas isn’t pagan. Let’s stop the madness.

Merry Christmas.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4

Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)

Reflecting Jesus into a Dark World by Dr. Frank Turek – DVD Complete Series, Video mp4 DOWNLOAD Complete Series, and mp3 audio DOWNLOAD Complete Series

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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The Surprising Way Tinkerbell Shows the Flaw in the Transgender Identity Crisis

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I know what you might be thinking. “Tinkerbell, Melissa? Seriously?” But stay with me here. The pre-woke movie era had some good stuff in it that’s surprisingly relevant and counter-cultural by 2023 standards.

Tinkerbell (2008)

So first, here is a brief movie synopsis for those who may not have seen the movie: The first Tinkerbell movie was made in 2008. The story starts with Tinkerbell as a new fairy. She was a fairy who was born a certain way, as what’s called a tinker fairy, where she “tinkers” with things to build them. But she hates it. The main setting is in a magical place in Neverland called Pixie Hollow where there are other “talents” that other fairies have, such as water, animal, light, wind, or flower fairies. She struggles with who she is as a tinker fairy and who she wants to be, especially after finding out that tinker fairies don’t get to go to the Mainland for spring. She wants to be anything but a tinker fairy. She refused to accept the truth that this was actually who she was and instead stubbornly embraced her truth.

The entire movie is about her trying to be every other fairy type, anything other than who she was born to be. Her supportive friends knew she was a tinker and tried to tell her many times that this was who she was. Good for them. At the end of the movie, she finally accepts that she shouldn’t deny her true identity by trying to be something she’s not. She ends up happily embracing being a tinker fairy.

The Truth About Tinkerbell

I’m sure you already know what I’m getting at. The parallel to today’s identity crisis are clear, and quite the opposite message from this movie: you can’t change the truth to your truth.

Let me say this. First, I feel for those who struggle with their identity. There’s a deep and intense struggle to change who we are to be accepted by others or seen how we want to be seen. But there’s freedom in loving how God made you. And I mean how he actually made you. What I mean by that is some people might say, “But God made me with this identity! I didn’t choose to be a man in a woman’s body, or this race, or even this species!” I want to lovingly counter this idea with these questions:

  1. Says who?
  2. Where did you get that idea from?
  3. By what standard are you measuring that this is God’s will for your life and how He made you?

If God has revealed Himself, He did so in the person of Jesus. I didn’t make this claim. Jesus did. If Jesus is who He says He is, then how would we find out information about Him? Here’s the answer: The Bible. People that walked and talked with Jesus and witnessed His life, resurrection, and miracles recorded them, then died horrendous deaths, never denying any of it was false. In other words, if Jesus is everything He says He is, I trust the Book that tells me who He is and what He taught, and what He commanded His disciples to do and teach.

Identity in Christ

And what He says about how you are made matters when it comes to this topic: you were born one way, but He says to be born another way. He says to be born again.

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’” John 3:3 (NIV)

He wants you to find your identity in Him, not yourself. He wants you to love who He is and how He made you, not make a God in your own image that likes what you like and loves what you love. Jesus came for you too and says that He is the bread of life. What He’s saying is that this world will not satisfy, and looking within isn’t sustainable. He’s the standard for what’s good, true, and fulfilling.

A Lesson from American Idol

On a harder-to-accept level, people living “their truth” can sometimes look forced and awkward. Like someone trying to be something we all know they aren’t. It reminds me of one of those American Idol auditions where someone goes in thinking they’re a fantastic singer because everyone around them was telling them they were a great singer. But they open their mouth, and it’s total cringe. What’s stunning is their denying the fact that they are an objectively bad singer. Perhaps the people around them were afraid to tell the truth because the person was too sensitive or emotionally fragile to handle tough feedback. Everyone knew they weren’t a star. But everyone went along with it, perhaps out of fear. I see the same principle when it comes to today’s identity crisis.

Now isn’t it interesting, and rather ironic, that we live in a world that says self-love is the battle cry of the day but then the same instigators want you to deny everything about who you are for a fleeting feeling that changes? There’s wisdom in accepting yourself for who you are, not denying it to fill a void.

Recommended Resources Related to this Topic

Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, PPT)
Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God by Frank Turek & Zach Turek (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
Defending Absolutes in a Relativistic World (Mp3) by Frank Turek
Is Morality Absolute or Relative? (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD) by Frank Turek
Does Love and Tolerance Equal Affirmation? (DVD) (Mp4)  by Dr. Frank Turek

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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Shining a Light on the New Age Deception | with Melissa Dougherty

Does the New Age movement offer a “higher level” of Christianity? Often used interchangeably, New Age and New Thought have appealed to the masses, both in secular society as well as within Christian churches. If New Age practices have somehow managed to creep into your church, can you identify them?

Who better to ask about the New Age than someone who actually practiced it? This week, Frank sits down with ex New-Ager, CrossExamined Apologist Team (CAT) member and YouTube phenom, Melissa Dougherty, to talk about some of the key aspects of New Age philosophy, how it rose to popularity in America, and how it’s impacting the American Church. As Melissa shares her testimony, she’ll also answer questions like:

  • What is the distinction between New Age and New Thought?
  • What is the overlap between the New Age and Progressive Christianity?
  • Can the New Age or New Thought be redeemed for the Gospel?
  • How did a Jehovah’s Witness bring Melissa closer to the truth of Jesus Christ?
  • What is God’s role and purpose within the New Age movement?

The idea that you can manipulate the circumstances of your life by finding the ‘true’ meaning of the Scriptures has drawn many to embrace New Age teachings. Believing yourself to have more spiritual power than other Christians may be appealing, but it comes with its own set of consequences. During this episode, you’ll find out these teachings compromise the truth of the Gospel and ultimately downplay the sovereignty, holiness, and providence of God.

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Melissa’s website: https://www.melissadougherty.co/

Melissa’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaDougherty/

Melissa’s blog post on this topic: https://bit.ly/46WTVuT

 

Download Transcript

 

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Why God Can’t Be the Universe

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Most people believe in God. The question is, which God? Who is this God? Is He personal? Impersonal? An “it”? A vague source or amorphous energy? It’s important to think this through because if God exists, then there are spiritual ramifications for this.
Christians understand God to be personal. They’re not pantheists or panentheists where God is equal or a part of His creation, but that He’s separate yet still personal with His creation. In other words, the Christian God is above His creation, not equal to it. There’s a difference between God and what He has created. Many Christian theologians and philosophers believe this isn’t only biblical but logical. Let’s look at a few of these arguments.

It’s pronounced parh-MEN-i-deez

Let’s start with Parmenides, a 6th-century Greek philosopher who’s known for his view on monism, the belief that everything is one, and that there’s no duality or distinction between mind and matter. His argument went like this:

Premise 1:  There can only be one thing in the universe.
Premise 2:  If there were two things in the universe, they’d have to differ in some way.
Premise 3:  But there is only one way to differ: Either something exists (has being) or it does not (has non-being)
Premise 4:  Metaphysically speaking, all things that have being are united/“one” since they are made up from the same “stuff.”
Conclusion: Therefore, there is only one being, and monism is true.

This argument might be confusing, but it’s actually valid.[1] What he’s arguing for is the idea that there is no distinction between anything that exists on a level of transcendence. We see this argument surface different ways among New Age and New Thought teachers as they like to claim that there is no duality, there is only One. Therefore, the Universe is one big spiritual being. And we just need to recognize our connection with it.

Along came Aquinas

Parmenides’ argument actually stumped people for centuries until a Christian philosopher named Thomas Aquinas answered his challenge. Aquinas points out the flaw in Parmenides’s argument: his use of the word being. Aquinas argued that there are different meanings to being, not just one, as Parmenides used.

To explain Aquinas’s argument, let’s take a tree for example. You can look at a tree and ask the obvious, “does this tree exist (have being)?” The answer, of course, is “yes” since if it didn’t exist, you’d be staring at nothing. This is where Parmenides’ questioning stops but Aquinas takes the investigation further.

Once the tree’s being is confirmed, we must then ask, “why does it exist?” In other words, what’s causing the tree to exist? Rather than only focus on being (or existence) Aquinas used ‘potency’ to distinguish metaphysical categories. If something has potency, it has the potential to change. All things, including the tree, have potency. But there must be something immutable (unchanging) to cause the tree to first exist (to have being).

In other words, is the being that’s ultimately causing the tree something that’s also caused? That’s impossible because of infinite regresses, where everything is caused by something else, which is caused by something else, and so on for infinity. If everything is one, and yet everything changes, then what is causing everything to have its being? Eventually, you must arrive at something that philosophers call Pure Act, an uncaused, first cause. This is the one Being with no potential to change, it is immutable and uncreated, yet gives existence to everything else…. Sound familiar?

So, what’s the motivation here?

There’s an incentive to believe that we’re “one with the universe” as spiritual beings. People tend to spiritually elevate humanity, and predictably they end up demoting God to get there. This then, becomes a matter of Lordship. If God is the author of everything and separate from you, then you must submit to Him and His will as Lord. He’s in charge either way, whether you align with and submit Him or oppose and resist Him.

But, if God is within you as some sort of universal source or energy waiting to be awakened, then you only need to submit to yourself. The “God-is-the-universe” theology takes on a self-serving tone.

So, why can’t God be the universe?

To summarize, monism (the belief that all is one and equal to God) is illogical because it leads to an infinite regress of causes. If all things have the ability to change (potency), there must be something unchangeable. If all things are caused, there must be something uncaused. God is that something, He’s a separate unchangeable, and uncreated Being who gives existence to His creation.

Endnote

[1] When an argument is valid, that means that the premise are organized so that if each of the premises are true then the conclusion must be true. When an argument has both validity and true premises, that argument is “sound.”

Recommended Resources Related to this Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
What is God Like? Look to the Heavens by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD and Mp4)
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (DVD Set, Mp3, and Mp4)
Debate: Does God Exist? Turek vs. Hitchens (DVD), (mp4 Download) (MP3)

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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Yes, There is a Difference Between New Age and New Thought

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When people hear the word “New Age,” they might think of the hippie generation of the ’60s. When people hear “New Thought,” however, most people have no idea what it means.

I believe New Thought has much more influence than New Age. Don’t be fooled by the names. Neither one of them are new. They’re as old as the garden. Many people use the terms interchangeably because the core belief is exactly the same: You are good, and You are God. “New Age” can be an umbrella term used for both New Thought and New Age, but they are actually different. And I believe it’s important to distinguish these terms. There are differences that I believe Christians specifically need to know about. Because New Thought can fool Christians before the New Age will.

First, let’s start with New Thought. If you remember anything about New Thought, remember this one thing: metaphysical Christianity. Literally, take any Christian doctrine and redefine it to put an allegorical metaphysical definition with it, and you have New Thought. It’s spiritual but not religious. This is particularly why I believe New Thought is much more sinister: it’s made to look Christian. Here are some brief terms to know:

Christ

This doesn’t mean the same thing within Christianity. In New Thought, “Christ” and “Jesus” are two different things. Jesus was a man, and Christ is the inner divinity that all mankind can awaken to. Jesus was the Way-shower to how this can be done. He obtained the “Christ Consciousness,” the awakening to his True Self, his inner divinity, and you can too. In this way, you are the I AM just as much as Jesus was.

God

An “It” not a “He.” This is a force or a spiritual source that pours out abundance and prosperity to those who know how to wield their power. New Thought isn’t pantheistic but pan-en-theistic, which is basically an attempt to fuse pantheism with theism. (See, “Panentheism”)

Sin

The only sin is your ignorance of your self-divinity and remaining in your False Self, or your Ego.

Atonement and Salvation

This means “At-One-Ment,” a mixing of the words to mean that you’re awakening to a higher level of consciousness. Salvation is found in your finding your True Self.

Evil/Hell/Satan/Heaven

None of these are literal, but states of mind or metaphorical. Anything that’s considered evil, such as someone flying into the Twin Towers, is because they are in their False Self. The reason for pain, suffering, and evil is because of humanity’s unawareness of their inner divinity, and therefore asleep to their True Self. In this way, they have created their own personal Hell or Heaven. New Thought also believes in an ambiguous Universalism. There is no judgment, only love.

Bible

The Bible is filled with metaphysical esoteric knowledge that those in the “spiritual know” can interpret. People that wrote the Bible only understood it in the time and place that they lived, but we understand more now because we have grown spiritually. This is why they can look at a Scripture and think, “what does this verse mean to me,” because their interpretation is subjective to their lived experience. Their view of the Bible is a higher spiritual view that depicts real Christianity.

Faith and Prosperity

New Thought might be best known through the popular concept of positive thinking that we see in the self-help section at your local bookstore. Faith is a power to make things happen. We can wield this power through our minds. Because New Thought teaches that God only allows good things to happen, if we have enough faith, we can proclaim health and wealth, and it must manifest itself in our lives. The Law of Attraction is probably the most popular New Thought belief that most would recognize. Your words have power and can create. God is a creative force. Since you’re a manifestation of God, you’re able to create with your words as well.

This list is by no means exhaustive. But these concepts are unique to New Thought dressed up as Christianity. New Age parts ways in its more occultic associations. New Thought might say that it frowns upon occultic practices, but that isn’t the case. They would say that truth can be found anywhere, including the occult. Both have gnostic leanings and a relativistic view of truth, but here are three specific differences between the New Age and New Thought:

Three Big Differences Between New Thought and New Age

  1. New Thought claims to be Christian in origin and uses Christian terms, but accepting of all beliefs. The New Age we know today was heavily influenced by theosophy, which does not claim to be Christian.
  2. New Age is more associated with Numerology, Astrology, Tarot, Crystal Energy, Yoga, Auras, Starseeds, Psychedelics, Psychics, Astral Projection, and Alienology.
  3. New Age might be more pantheistic in their worldview than the panentheistic view of New Thought.

Even though there are differences, the two almost always seem to overlap in beliefs on some level. For example, I have never met someone in the New Age who didn’t believe in Christ Consciousness or the law of attraction. I believe this is why the terms are used interchangeably, where most people would associate themselves with being caught up in the New Age when really they were more into New Thought (Myself included).

Both are alluring, and both are deceiving. Both elevate man and demote God. New Thought masquerades as true Christianity, and because of this, I’ve seen numerous Christians adopt New Thought beliefs and not know it. In my experience, Christians tend to be able to spot the New Age much better than they can New Thought. New Thought has been a shadow of a deception in the Church, and I want to shine a light on it so Christians can be equipped to know what they’re dealing with.

A constant companion to avoid deception: The Bible. Stay in it. Read it. Study it. You will be able to discern the metaphysical definitions that New Thought uses immediately if you know the real thing.

Recommended Resources Related to this Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Defending Absolutes in a Relativistic World (Mp3) by Frank Turek
Is Morality Absolute or Relative? (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD) by Frank Turek

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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A Trendy New Breathing and Meditation Technique… and it’s Odd.

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I was scrolling through the Gram one day, and since I look up a lot of New Age things, the almighty algorithm put in front of my face something it thought I would enjoy. My eyes fell upon people rolling around, screaming, laughing hysterically, crying, convulsing, and rocking back and forth. I, no kidding, thought I was watching something from a Holy Spirit night at Bethel Church or something. It took me a hot second to realize that I was looking at a growing trend called Witality Breathwork.

Growing Trend

As time went on, I saw this strange practice pop up all over America, including in my own hometown. Immediately, I wanted to investigate, so I looked into actually going to the conference to observe, so I emailed them asking if this was possible, even saying I’d buy a ticket. They emailed me back and said that they would prefer that I participate instead of observe. And I was like…

Nah. That’s a dealbreaker. I have asked if they will make an exception for me to observe for research reasons, but I doubt they’ll allow it at this point. The apologist/journalist in me is pining to see this in person, but here’s what I do know at this point.

Witality Breathwork revolves around a man named Witalij Martynow, the Witality Breathwork website states:

Witality™ is an ever evolving complex of breathing, meditative, movement techniques, and philosophies that Witalij Martynow discovered on his healing journey that worked for him and that brought back the vitality to his own life. Witalij combines latest scientific research, eastern philosophies, indigenous teachings and his own ancestral ways of healing and maintaining wellbeing… Witalij believes that the majority of sickness both mental, physical and spiritual comes from the stuck and unprocessed energy that didn’t find an outlet out of our system. Whether it is unprocessed emotion, chronic pain, or childhood trauma, Witalij sees it all as energy. As he discovered on his journey, breathing in specific rhythms and intensities combined with a crafted guidance, allows that energy to move and to be released. During his process we alter our state of consciousness while gaining a different perspective on our life and connecting to our body’s own intellect that jumpstarts the healing process.

Basically, you’re performing intense breathing exercises that alter your consciousness. The goal is to suspend the mind to reach the spirit, where healing can take place. This, they say, is the reason why some people can act out like they do. The website is very straightforward that this is an intense practice, and isn’t shy about showing some extreme aspects of what goes on during these sessions. They reason that in order to die to your ego, your false self, and awaken your true self takes time and work.

First Reactions

Besides the startling images I saw of people manically laughing, rolling, and screaming, among other things, I couldn’t help noticing my first reaction. I thought this was in a church. I’ve seen this behavior more in hyper charismatic settings than I have anywhere else. I know many of the Christians involved in something like that would argue that what goes on in their churches is the authentic version of what Witality participants are experiencing, and I simply have to cry foul at this point. You can’t throw down the “this is actually Christian!” card and think that solves the problem and shuts down the conversation. This stuff is sus.

What’s more, is that these people that have experienced Witality breath work have claimed to have spiritual encounters with spiritual beings. I also wouldn’t be surprised a bit if people were speaking in tongues in these sessions especially considering this type of breathwork came out of ancient India in the form of energy-moving exercises called Pranayamas, which are known for speaking in “tongues.” The common denominator between the two is the emotional workup to have an experience that manifests in the videos and images we see on their website. And then just slap the label “spiritual healing” on it, and voila… the proof is the experience. That’s the standard for if it’s true or not.

Similar to Some Church Services

Many Christians who have attended a Holy Spirit crusade or something similar claim they have had spiritual breakthroughs by having their “spiritual blocks” removed. People go to Witality Breathwork to have their “spiritual blocks” removed. It’s uncanny how the results are indistinguishable from each other. What I’m seeing at a Witality Breathwork conference is no different than what I see at a hyper-charismatic Holy Spirit Healing conference. What concerns me is not only the damage this does theologically to people within the church, but that it always comes back to the Gospel that truly spiritually heals us.

The Witality site is clear that though this is a healing tool to work out energetic blockages, it’s not a quick fix: “Even though the work of release itself is a powerful healing tool, it is important to treat it as a catalyst for change, not a quick fix. Maintaining the vitality requires a lot of discipline on a daily basis, as the next stages of the work become daily practices of increasing our capacity and sensitivity to energy and building up our energetic structures.”

But wanna know the real kicker? It works.

People attending these conferences have had strong testimonies of this Witality Breathwork resulting in extraordinary results. And that’s the point! People do not keep investing in occultic practices if they do not produce results. So why would they be open to hearing anything about the Gospel of Jesus? Perhaps their rationale is that if they can achieve “spiritual healing” through breathwork, they may not feel the need for the Gospel. But breathwork, or anything like it, isn’t true healing. Like all New Age and Occultic practices, this will inevitably result in short-lived relief, and they will need something else to help ease them from what’s truly the issue: their need for a Savior. And it’s not them.

Recommended Resources Related to this Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Defending Absolutes in a Relativistic World (Mp3) by Frank Turek

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Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

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