Harmony Between Christians, The Secret, and New Age Thought

There are an awful lot of apologetics online who want to help Christians avoid being snared by erroneous teachings. When it comes to anything religiously opposing, the tendency is to say, "Here's all you need to know, just stay away." In all fairness, there will always be some Christians who are wise to heed that advice. Challenges to religious thinking can be painful, and encountered prematurely, even detrimental.

I, in an informal sense, am a Christian apologetic, too. I have a background in non-ordained, but spiritually called non-denominational ministry and leadership. I also come from an LDS (Mormon) upbringing. I can assure you I know personally how difficult a religious change of mind can be.

As an apologist of sorts, I want to state up front the meaning of my "Christian" label.

It means (to me) that I accept Jesus as a necessary exchange for the original disobedience of Adam. I see Adam as the first to willfully disobey the Word of Truth, which is how the word of lies, manifest as unpleasantries and chaos, came into this realm. I accept Jesus' exchange as an unearned gift covering my personal disobedience (sin) as well. By Jesus' willingness to accept the consequences for Adam's oops, I was personally given free agency to choose either the word of lies (the illusion of any dark "reality"), or The Word of Truth (eternal righteousness by Love, and blessings by grace). Without His exchange, I accept that all of mankind would have been enslaved to the dominion of darkness.

Any time someone is presented with a new religious idea they immediately ask themselves something along the lines of, "Will I be able to distinguish the truth from error?"

This question comes from a more deep-seated fear of making a belief mistake, and thereby adversely affecting our personal eternal placement and happiness.

And that is a big deal.

So let's dive in and disarm this fear:

Romans 11:6 states that we are saved by grace - not merit. You don't have to know everything, or do everything right in order to be saved.

1 Corinthians 3:1-15 says that we can believe all manner of falsehoods, but as long as our bottom line belief is "Jehovah Saved by The Anointing," we can rest assured of salvation (esp. verse 15). That's salvation by grace. (Notes: "Jesus" means literally "Jehovah Saved," past tense; and "Christ" is not a name, it is a title meaning "The Anointed One, and/or The Anointing," which symbolizes a complete covering and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.)

1 John 4:8 says God IS love. If this is true, then a Buddhist who walks in love, walks in God, and knows Him better than a Christian who walks in hate. It's all about the inner, spiritual walk, not the labels.

John 16:13 says He (He=God=Holy Spirit) will lead you into all truth: and 1 John 2:27 says you don't need any human to teach you. Since we don't start out knowing all truth, He's always leading. Thing is, He's not afraid of anything!

Proverbs 11:14 says there is safety in a multitude of teachers. This means we are actually safer if we glean a little here, and glean a little there, all by different teachers, trusting the Holy Spirit to confirm what's true in love. As the 1 Corinthians 13 passage above shows, one teacher sows the seed, the next teacher waters it, but it is God who gives "the increase."

When I decided to believe and live by these passages, it enabled me to completely trust God as my ultimate teacher. I came to realize I am allowed to make honest mistakes, and it will not affect my happy place at His side. I'll have to endure correction on some points, but I'll do that face to face, and that's all that matters to me.

These precepts are also what made it easy for me to accept others right where they're at in their own religious beliefs. My primary concern now, is to look for the love of God in their countenances, in their actions, and then I am free to joyfully let my heart resonate with theirs, regardless of religious differences.

Once you understand how safe you are in your relationship with God by His grace, it's time to step out in faith. You can confidently, and peacefully judge all things with openness.

The first word of advice is to learn to trust His Spirit of love over a spirit of fear. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish. Zealous "warnings" can so easily cross over into fear mongering.

Example: You're in danger of going to Hell if you receive anything New Age, or Mormon, or J.W., etc..

No you're not.

Learning the difference is part of understanding that we have not been given a spirit of fear to lead us. We've been given a spirit of love, and of power, and a disciplined mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Love consists of tolerant, righteous (not arrogant, John 7:24) judgment in compassion. Love's power delivers, and a disciplined mind, aware of one's own security in Love, is how power is released.

So, take this confidence and start asking God how He sees any and everything. The Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance all things which He has taught you before (John 14:26), and thereby you can look up scriptures, weight and measure, ask Him questions, and determine the truth for yourself.

Know that the more teachers, the merrier. Oh, um, the better. OK, actually it says the safer (Provers 11:14). IT WILL FORCE YOU TO TRUST THE HOLY SPIRIT AS YOUR ULTIMATE TEACHER, and what could be spiritually safer than that?

Just glean. Glean the best, and peacefully let go of the rest.

Since seeing The Secret in early 2007, I have devoured untold numbers of related books and audios. A few of the key compatibilities that I have found are:

1. We intentionally receive miracles. We are to follow (Greek = "imitate") God as dear children (Ephesians 5:1). Children imitate their parents. Since God calls things that be not, as though they already are/were (Romans 4:17), so can/should we. Jesus said that believers would do the works that He did, and even greater (John 14:12).

2. We are all made up of energy. God is light (1 John 1:5, and numerous other passages). We also are children of light (John 12:36). God is called The Father of lights in James 1:17. I don't see any reasonable argument against the idea that light is energy. Furthermore, "power" is energy, and God is His own self-generated dynamo power source. We are created in His image (Genisis 1:26 and 1 John 3:2) with our own built-in dynamos. Light, energy, and power are all the same thing.

3. The quantum field contains everything. God maintains everything by His thoughts. How I concluded this compatibility is through Hebrews 1:3 which says God, "Upholds all things by the word of His power." ("Power"= Greek "dynamo," which is self-generating.) Words are nothing more than containers for thoughts, and thoughts rise up from the heart according to Matthew 12:34-37. You can see the connection in many scripture passages, but Isaiah 55:8-11 is a nice example. This is why I think the quantum field is God's own mind (and heart-source) at work.

4. Law of Attraction is "believing you receive." Specifically, the Law of Attraction teaches that if you can feel your receipt, it will manifest into your life. I have no argument with that. However, I do have concern for circumventing an aspect of God's Love and provision when we "feel after" things BEFORE we have found peace and rest in the Kingdom. After all, the Bible says that we should seek first the Kingdom of God, then all the "things" of earth will follow (Matthew 6:33). I think our focus should more precisely be on "feeling" the Love within, as God is Love (1 Jo 4:8,16), and Love is what rules and reigns in the Kingdom of God. Love is also the source of "stuff," and God wills for us to receive Heaven on Earth (Matthew 6:10), so why not focus on that first, instead of a needed car, or a cell phone, etc.? Focus on finding the Kingdom of Love within, and you get everything (your eternal and very wealthy treasure house) for the price of one primary focus :-)

The most controversial concepts I have found (but am not alarmed by) are:

1. Many, but not all, New Agers believe in reincarnation. As I personally see no reason to abandon the hope of resurrection of our bodies, that says to me one spirit per body resurrected. I recently read a book titled, "Through the Eyes of a Traveler," by John Terry. John is a Christian, and a certified hypnotherapist who does believe in mind travel, but not in reincarnation. Because I do believe every life is documented within the quantum field, I was able to conclude from this reading that it is possible to spiritually visit "past lives" of others in the first person. This, however, doesn't make it the visitor's past life. Just a first person experience of a past life. (Note: In Love Without End Jeshua makes a good point: People who claim past lives always claim nobility or fame, never pauper status or defeat. This is a clue to us that ego is involved in seeking past life connections to current existence.)

2. There is a pre-existence. Most Christians do not believe this. I will state for the record, though, that I do personally believe in a pre-existence based on reasoning out Genesis 37:9-10 and Revelations 12:1-11, which together show that the house of Israel (Sun, Moon, 12 Stars, i.e., "people") existed before earth, and now exists in the earth. Plus, Ecclesiastes 12:7 states that at death our spirit RETURNS to the God who gave it. In my mind this explains how we can be born into a fallen world without our will being usurped... we had the free agency to choose this fallen life experience.

3. We are God, not He is God. Some New Agers are atheistic, in that they do not believe in a solitaire God. They believe that we are God, collectively. Most all Christians find this blasphemous, but here again, I'm a unique voice. My take is that I am, by grace and belief, made one with Him (John 17:11-21) who is the light/energy/source, and that I am heir to His throne, the same as Jesus is heir to the Father's throne (which is what it says in Revelations 3:21). This is not self-appointment, but rather, a gift by grace. But I also reason all this like any love relationship: complete spiritual unity with another being doesn't deny their "I" individuality, or their molecular status. God/we can be collective and individual at the same time.

4. Channeling the dead. Well, I personally see where God's compassion could be in it. Naturally the Christian mind recalls God saying something about not contacting the dead. That's actually a misquote of Isaiah 8:19. What this passage really says is if we want to contact the dead, we should go to God (who is Love, 1 Jo 4:8, 16), and not to workers of darkness (those who have rejected the true Light of Love within themselves). Give it a read and see what you think. Let the Light of His heart/Love be your guide.

5. Law of Attraction is used as an explanation as to why bad things happen to good people. Among some New Agers, including those who produced The Secret, it is believed that accidents, natural disasters, crime, and everything "evil" is attracted by the negative feelings of the individual. I personally think that some events can be explained this way (cause and effect), but not all. In John 9:1-3 Jesus said that a certain man born blind had done nothing to deserve it, nor his parents, so personal attraction of evil was not to blame in that case. I do, however, see in the Bible that there is a "collective consciousness," which is the Fall of Adam. By this humanity invited (attracted) "evil," or chaos and entropy into our collective human experience.

The most significant pearls of wisdom I, as a Christian, have gleaned from The Secret and New Age Thought are:

1. Feelings, or emotions, are spiritual, not carnal. Christians predominantly teach that emotions aren't trustworthy because they originate from the carnal soul of mind and will. I have had many faith failures because of this teaching. I would speak The Truth over adverse circumstances while still feeling helpless, depressed and discouraged. I just wrote it off as my carnal nature, and an untruth to be ignored. Now I understand that my feelings are spiritual, and that they create. They definitely let me know when I'm really, really, really believing something is true (whether or not it is The Truth). That, to me, makes all the difference in the world when trying to exercise "faith."

2. The science of Quantum Physics makes astounding spiritual sense. This science is intelligent, and the quantum field is truly exciting to study. It explains the mechanics of spirituality, intention, faith, energy and/or spiritual one-ness, and so much more (the one-ness described in Eph 4:4-6). I see the quantum field as Heavenly Father's own spiritual mind and heart at work, creating, upholding, just as mine, which is inside of His, can do by the same design.

John 1:9 says that the true Light lighteth every man that comes into the world. Matthew 5:45 says God gives the sun and the rain to both the righteous and the wicked, meaning grace, or unmerited goodness, is extended to everyone on this planet. We see in these passages that the grace of God may extend further than the Christian religion has collectively understood.

How much of that grace will be extended to non-Christians in the hereafter? That's a tough one to answer without extensive Biblical study, since a tremendous semantics struggle occurs over what it means to "believe on the name of Jesus." (As of 2010, I address that struggle in the Featured Lens on God's Unconditional Love below.)

But consider this: Revelations 20: 12-15 says even hell must give up her occupants for The Final Day of Judgment, so that every person can receive a reward for their works. (Please read this passage yourself. It's important.)

In other words, there are two judgments, not one.

The first judgment is the one most Christians are familiar with, believing it occurs at the time of death, and that it determines eternal placement in Heaven or Hell. Mainstream Christianity maintains that a person must accept Jesus to escape the penalty of this judgment. Those who don't accept Jesus' gift will assume the exchange themselves. But what mainstream Christianity fails to recognize is that in the very least this "Hell" experience is not eternal due to the need, still, for every person to receive just rewards according to their works, as it says in the Rev. 20 passage.

God does not - in fact can't - repay good with evil. Every good deed will be rewarded with good, regardless of religious affiliations or non-affiliations, because God is Love (1 John 4:8,16). Love won't harm love, and Love honors love in others. This is justice.

This Revelations 20 passage, then, reveals the idea that we will ALL - even those who experienced the first Hell - stand together at this second, or final judgment, where "every man shall receive a reward according to his works."

The further away from the true Light of Love and the Word of Truth we lived in our heart, the further away in darkness we will be comfortable to remain for eternity. The furthest darkness, also called the "second death" in this passage, is outer darkness, which is reserved for those who willfully denied any Light of Truth or Love in themselves (as it says in John 1:9, it is native to every man).

Romans 12:3 says He (God) has dealt to every man the (not "a") measure of faith. In other words, we all have the right to grow up towards the fullness of power that we each are equally born with. John 1:9 Says that God illuminates every man (person) that comes into the world. The journey of spiritual growth for every human being is taken "line upon line, precept upon precept," as it says in Isaiah 28:10.

Since light is energy, and energy is power, and every human being has at least some amount of His light in them - no matter their religious labels - it stands to reason that people outside of Christianity may tap the energy source within.

Naturally, mistakes can be made along the way.

Can someone who carries the label "white witch," for example, misunderstand and misapply that power? Of course. But no worse than a labeled "Christian" can.

The flip side is to observe the prophetic people labeled "psychics" out there, who do what they do for the genuine love of others, and they do it with more accuracy than 90% of the Christians on the planet (myself included).

I, personally, have never been to a psychic, but if I met one filled with joy and love, I would open up to let them impart to me, and then take what was said to the Lord to ask if it "fits." (I do the same for impartation through Christians.) If in doubt it's always OK to leave a spiritual word on a back burner in your mind until the Lord/Spirit speaks to you about it. God is a gentleman, and anything from Him won't be forced on you.

All you have to do to best determine safety is look upon a person's heart with the Father's eyes (in you), to discern their root motives. Be humble and righteous when you judge (John 7:24). A need for money to live is not evil. There's no idolatry in that. Just as the Levites were worthy to receive income (tithes of the people, Numbers 18:20-24) for their support, so is any man ministering in love by the inward gifts of the spirit/Spirit/light/energy worthy to receive money for their support.

If you have never seen the movie, The Gift, I recommend it. It's a story about a very compassionate woman who is spiritually, prophetically gifted as a "psychic." Again, judge humbly and righteously. Yes, she uses tarot cards, which isn't necessary to communicate in the spirit. But, then again, we goofy Christians don't need to be on our knees, or take our hats off, or use King James vernacular in order to communicate with Him, either :-)

I originally created this lens in 2007, and recently I thought it would be of interest to readers if I provided an update on my own personal journey and experience with principles taught in The Secret.

Yes, The Secret's teaching about emotions being useful has proven valuable, although not complete. I have moved beyond The Secret and found balance in a greater awareness that God is Love, and Love is positive magnetic power (the dynamo source of unlimited, eternal and free energy by grace), while fear and hate create entropy. Have I overcome all my fears? Goodness, no. Has Love increased in my life? Yes, happily it has.

Since I have not completely overcome my personal nemesis, which is belief in / fear of lack and want (it speaks to me like Goliath spoke to David when they first came to the field of confrontation), I have not yet mastered my financial affairs. Miracles HAVE happened, though, in that we've gone from $2400 per month in the hole following a family tragedy and business failure in 2004, to now approximately $500 per month in the hole, without filing bankruptcy, and with no savings. And, I'm in awe that we're still current on EVERYTHING. In spite of these very pressing challenges, I am finding greater success at "Being still, and knowing He is God" by BEING (resting in) the love that I am after His own image. Instead of resenting my hardships (which I did, greatly, just as Job did his), I am genuinely loving my life, regardless of outer circumstances.

Like the Apostle Paul who learned to be content whether abounding or abased (Philippians 4:11-12), I feel I am discovering the true blessings of the Kingdom within. And, like Job, I am submitting myself to the Father's instruction to take my focus off the pain of life, and simply behold the wondrous works of God all around me (Job 37:14). This only serves to strengthen my Love dynamo, and create joy, which is the light that provides all my needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

Effortless, really. Love is pleasant to rest in.

So, while The Secret has not been my single flash-in-the-pan answer, I have been able to glean useful substance from it. I will say, however, that I gleaned a great deal more useful substance from Love Without End and The Keys of Jeshua.

The following Featured Lens is also new as of 2010, and reflects my growth in Love, and in service to my fellow man.
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