Hi again, Kate. I too picked up and read a fair amount of ACIM in the 80s. I found that it was teaching an "alternative" Gospel focused on wonderment rather that sacrifice, which is the Gospel of Jesus. Excluding the sacrificial cross of Christ and denying His call for each of us to carry our crosses as He carried His is fundamentally a new Gospel whether is be categorized as New Age or not.
There is a reason that God became incarnated as a man in Jesus Christ. It was to show us how much God the Fathetr indeed loved mankind. It was to end the blood sacrifices offered by mankind to various gods with the one self blood sacrifice of the God-Man Himself (now we offer bread and wine in our sacrifice to God) and to be a human example of how sacrificial true love is - as any parent or war veteran can tell you.
Jesus followed the Mosaic ten commandments but literally spoke the addition of one more, which I call the eleventh commandment, when He said "I give you one more commandment; love others as I have loved you." That's a tall order as He gave all of Himself in loving all of mankind. But in out own small spheres of influence we truely feel whole as a person and united to Christ when we give of yourselves in helping and loving others. And that is the true Gospel of Christ.
Great reminder, Kate. On these modern days of faith-as-therapy, everyone "out there" co-opts Jesus as their poster boy when it suits them. Yes, we are increasingly in the "end times" where evil has such a stronghold on the world, but as we know where evil abounds grace abounds even greater. The Holy Spirit is working in hearts of individuals who are seeking truth beyond the lies of Satan and increasingly more people are coming to Christ as the false promises of the world fail them.
I greatly appreciate the clarity with which you write about the false allurements of New Age. Thank you for everything you contribute here on Substack!
Do you follow Doreen Virtue? Or Jenn Nizza from Ex Psychic Saved? Doreen is a great guest on Jenn’s podcast. She was apparently a very famous New Age teacher and then she’s not repented and tells people not to buy her old books and cards and stuff. Lovely testimony. Thanks for sharing. Definitely another Jesus. Sadly, I think there are many false versions. Only the Lord can give us eyes to see and ears to hear when we are truly born again.
Yes! Doreen Virtue was the first ex new ager I heard of and that was the start of my journey to understand where the truth lay. I also read Jenn Nizza’s book. It was so
I thought I’d just missed it! Yes, I’m from Brooklyn, NY, but I grew up in a few different states around the Northeast, NYC area- Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, to be exact. My mom is from and now lives in Maryland. I moved to Scotland nearly 9 years ago, after meeting my Scottish husband in NYC, where he’d been working many years. Our three oldest were born in NYC and the youngest was born in Glasgow!
Thank you for sharing this! I had been involved in new age concepts several years ago, but I’m thankful that our Blessed Lord has set me free from all that. Still, I must be diligent and guard my heart so that I don’t get drawn into it again. Demons can act so seductively.
I appreciate your word of caution -- there is SO MUCH to beware of in all traditions and practices (even the best teachers have said other voices slip in and one must guard constantly against deceptions, like bathing daily to keep bacteria out). ACIM is not 'new age', but is highly abstract -- the sinlessness described is exactly the same thing as original sin (which was not original at all but resulted from the fall of Adam) described in the inverse way. Truth can be described in opposite ways, one focused on dirt, the other focused on cleansing. I wasn't familiar with the concept of not clinging to the cross, but it sounds like the Protestant interpretation (using crosses, not crucifixes) of not focusing on the suffering and masochistic penance that Catholics have now finally mostly also left behind. No doubt the bible is true, but incomplete. This year I learned Ethiopian bible states Solomon married Queen of Sheba. When their son King Menelik I came to visit his father, Solomon recognized his boy from a distance! Yeah, scripture is by no means complete!
Such an important message Kate, thank you for sharing as always! Are you going to do a post or add in your bio about your book?
Yes thanks good idea! I will add it later.
The indwelling Holy Spirit is becoming even more important as we are forced to discern the Delusion. The Lord will show us through it all.
Amen!
Hi again, Kate. I too picked up and read a fair amount of ACIM in the 80s. I found that it was teaching an "alternative" Gospel focused on wonderment rather that sacrifice, which is the Gospel of Jesus. Excluding the sacrificial cross of Christ and denying His call for each of us to carry our crosses as He carried His is fundamentally a new Gospel whether is be categorized as New Age or not.
There is a reason that God became incarnated as a man in Jesus Christ. It was to show us how much God the Fathetr indeed loved mankind. It was to end the blood sacrifices offered by mankind to various gods with the one self blood sacrifice of the God-Man Himself (now we offer bread and wine in our sacrifice to God) and to be a human example of how sacrificial true love is - as any parent or war veteran can tell you.
Jesus followed the Mosaic ten commandments but literally spoke the addition of one more, which I call the eleventh commandment, when He said "I give you one more commandment; love others as I have loved you." That's a tall order as He gave all of Himself in loving all of mankind. But in out own small spheres of influence we truely feel whole as a person and united to Christ when we give of yourselves in helping and loving others. And that is the true Gospel of Christ.
Peace 🕊
Great reminder, Kate. On these modern days of faith-as-therapy, everyone "out there" co-opts Jesus as their poster boy when it suits them. Yes, we are increasingly in the "end times" where evil has such a stronghold on the world, but as we know where evil abounds grace abounds even greater. The Holy Spirit is working in hearts of individuals who are seeking truth beyond the lies of Satan and increasingly more people are coming to Christ as the false promises of the world fail them.
I greatly appreciate the clarity with which you write about the false allurements of New Age. Thank you for everything you contribute here on Substack!
Peace 🕊
thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad to hear you got out of the deception of ACIM!
Do you follow Doreen Virtue? Or Jenn Nizza from Ex Psychic Saved? Doreen is a great guest on Jenn’s podcast. She was apparently a very famous New Age teacher and then she’s not repented and tells people not to buy her old books and cards and stuff. Lovely testimony. Thanks for sharing. Definitely another Jesus. Sadly, I think there are many false versions. Only the Lord can give us eyes to see and ears to hear when we are truly born again.
Yes! Doreen Virtue was the first ex new ager I heard of and that was the start of my journey to understand where the truth lay. I also read Jenn Nizza’s book. It was so
helpful to have these voices in the early
stage leading the way.
Love Doreen and Jenn Nizza makes me nostalgic for home with her NY accent 😆
Are you from New York? I love the accent. I’m not from the US by the way I think I forgot to reply to your question. I’m English 🙂
I thought I’d just missed it! Yes, I’m from Brooklyn, NY, but I grew up in a few different states around the Northeast, NYC area- Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, to be exact. My mom is from and now lives in Maryland. I moved to Scotland nearly 9 years ago, after meeting my Scottish husband in NYC, where he’d been working many years. Our three oldest were born in NYC and the youngest was born in Glasgow!
I’ve been so insulated by a doctrinally-sound upbringing with very little idea of what’s “out there” ; thank you for sharing !
Thank you for sharing this! I had been involved in new age concepts several years ago, but I’m thankful that our Blessed Lord has set me free from all that. Still, I must be diligent and guard my heart so that I don’t get drawn into it again. Demons can act so seductively.
that's so wonderful that you got set free! Yes they can be seductive, and deceptive.
How wonderful to have been blessed by God in this way! Thanks for reading. 🙂
I appreciate your word of caution -- there is SO MUCH to beware of in all traditions and practices (even the best teachers have said other voices slip in and one must guard constantly against deceptions, like bathing daily to keep bacteria out). ACIM is not 'new age', but is highly abstract -- the sinlessness described is exactly the same thing as original sin (which was not original at all but resulted from the fall of Adam) described in the inverse way. Truth can be described in opposite ways, one focused on dirt, the other focused on cleansing. I wasn't familiar with the concept of not clinging to the cross, but it sounds like the Protestant interpretation (using crosses, not crucifixes) of not focusing on the suffering and masochistic penance that Catholics have now finally mostly also left behind. No doubt the bible is true, but incomplete. This year I learned Ethiopian bible states Solomon married Queen of Sheba. When their son King Menelik I came to visit his father, Solomon recognized his boy from a distance! Yeah, scripture is by no means complete!