I forget how long I've been watching Melissa's videos on YouTube (or, as she sometimes calls it, the "tube of yous") but I was immediately drawn to her willingness to speak Truth, her understanding of both the non-Christian world and the Christian Church, and her ability to explain Biblical Truth in a way that is immediately accessible to her audience without watering down any of it. On top of that, my snarky GenX heart is fully amused and pleased with her sense of humour, which is somehow both funny and snarky without being disparaging of other humans.
Melissa's personal story is a testament to the goodness of God. She accepted Christ at 16 and then got tangled up in New Thought for a while. Then, in 2011, she got to talking with some Jehovah's Witnesses and as she did some Bible study to find the reasons they were wrong, she realized that she was also wrong. Her desire for more knowledge and understanding led her to seminary, and she's doing a Masters in apologetics right now.
She is good at apologetics and her ability to discuss differences with people of other faiths is aspirational.
Happy Lies is about New Thought, which is the foundation for everything from "manifesting" good things to "affirming" yourself into whatever state you desire, from prosperity gospel to "you define your own truth". It gives lots of history and context to the movement, which is way older than you think it is. It also gets into the details of different implications of New Thought in the world and especially in the Church, because it's infiltrated our churches in a disastrous way.
These are the bits I highlighted as I read (on Kobo), along with any personal notes I made. I highly recommend reading the whole thing for yourself, especially since there are two chapters I didn't highlight anything in and they are important reading.
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Introduction: Why We're Here
Nobody chooses evil because it is evil. They only mistake it for happiness. (Mary Shelley)
Love and truth go hand in hand. To love Jesus is to love truth.
Chapter 1: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You: How New Thought Hides in Plain Sight
Go into all the world and tell everyone that they're perfectly fine the way they are, and to do what makes them happy. (something Jesus never said)
Deception isn't supposed to be obvious. It's supposed to be beautiful.
Sadly, after a steady diet of this watered-down, feelings-based counterfeit, even a small taste of the true gospel can taste bitter, like bondage and hate.
God repeatedly tells his followers not to worship him in the way the other nations do because he hates it (Deuteronomy 12.29-32), In other words, he commands, Do not get your spiritual practices from religions that are against me.
New Thought doesn't always look like eerie mysticism and pop culture wellness mantras. It can come looking, talking, and acting like Jesus, quoting Bible verses to go along with it.
Charles Spurgeon is often attributed with saying, "Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right."
Chapter 2: New Thought, Old Lies: The Roots of Today's Toxic Positivity
Another significant person heavily influenced was Norman Vincent Peale, a minister and author of The Power of Positive Thinking. Peale was also cofounder with his wife of the popular Guideposts devotionals marketed toward Christians. I did Guideposts.
Emma Curtis Hopkins created the first national network of New Thought organizations while establishing the first seminary to ordain women in large numbers.
Demoting God and elevating humanity diminishes truth and morality while elevating pride and entitlement.
...we flourish only when we're in a right relationship with our Creator, living as he alone knows is best.
People who struggle with anxiety, depression, self-image difficulties, and a host of other issues are drawn to its ideas, which seem spiritually enriching and look like love.
Challenging the assumptions and apparent solutions offered by New Thought labels you and enemy of God and progress--and in need of more New Thought healing, of course.
Chapter 3: The Teachings: Some Terminology and Beliefs of New Thought
Same words, different definitions.
...the rise of the occult in our day and beyond is one of the signs of the end times (1 Timothy 4.1). We can be just as ignorant if we're not prepared.
New Thought aligns far more with the occult than it does with the Bible.
...it's New Thought that has informed many New Age teachings, not the other way around.
Christian teachings result from a systematic study of the entire Bible using sound interpretive methods (hermeneutics), which involve a plain reading of Scripture. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of Biblical messages that doesn't change with the times but is preserved through the times.
Get the identity of God wrong, and everything is wrong.
A root cause of sin is that humans aren't satisfied being human. They want to be God.
Christians read the Bible literally, but this doesn't mean taking everything in it literally. The Bible uses many figures of speech, such as simile, hyperbole, or metaphor. It was written by a variety of authors. Some books fall into different genres, such as poetry, history, Law, or prophecy. When this is taken into consideration, the reader understands that reading "literally" means believing the Bible communicates literal truth, but not always in a literal way.
...here's a basic way to describe New Thought beliefs: Take every Christian definition you can think of. Then redefine it with a super spiritual metamystigorical definition. There. Now you have New Thought.
Chapter 4: True for Me: Relativism and New Thought
We love truth when it enlightens us, but we hate it when it convicts us. (Augustine)
One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts. (C.S. Lewis)
We're not living in a post-truth era. We're living in an anti-truth era.
When we abandon the idea that a higher law of moral truth applies to everyone, all that remains are feelings.
If truth is fluid and based on opinions, there are no divine imperatives.
Something evil or bad can only make sense against the backdrop of good. In the same way, there can be no lies without truth.
Some things are subjective, like how a piece of art makes us feel, or if we think chocolate tastes better than vanilla. That kind of "truth" does vary from person to person. Claims like "Insulin treats diabetes better than ice cream," though, are different. Objective truth tells us about reality. It tells us the way the world actually is. It corresponds to, or fits with, reality. If reality had a mirror, objective truth would be its reflection.
...relativism is relieving.
...someone resorts to relativism to relieve their discomfort with authority. They don't like moral boundaries. They don't like someone being boss over them.
...denying truth... seems to alleviate pain.
...wonderful choice for people pleasers.
...relativism is so influential because it appeals directly to our fallen nature and reinforces our desire for autonomy.
Feelings are the ultimate guide, happiness is the ultimate goal, judging is the ultimate sin, and God is the ultimate guess.
...relativism speaks out of both sides of its mouth. One side demands we shouldn't judge and should coexist, while the other side demands justice, makes judgment calls, and loudly disagrees with what they don't tolerate.
God exists and, therefore, truth exists.
Chapter 5: Identity Crisis: What Do You Do When You Don't Feel Like You?
...in New Thought, being made in the image of God is equivalent to being God. Therefore, humans are intrinsically good. Jesus plays a role, but only to model for us what it looks like to live authentically.
If you believe you are good because the inner you is divine, then that means your intuition is your truth GPS.
Christians are seen as being against what is good and godly.
God is spirit, but he created a material world he called good, including your body (Genesis 1.31). Jesus saw the body as so important that he decided to take on a body in the incarnation
The body shouldn't be ignored, mutilated, or hated. God loves it.
"You shall not judge!" and "Live your truth!" are the New Thought battle cry.
To love someone doesn't mean you always affirm them, especially if what they're believing about their identity is not true or is even harmful to them.
The only way to fight lies is to tell the truth.
Christopher Yuan said it best: "Unconditional love is not the same thing as unconditional approval of my behavior."
Identity in anything other than Jesus alone will leave us empty and longing for more.
Identity grounded in self is identity grounded in falsehood and in the bondage of sin. It's self-idolatry. It's making ourselves the Lord and Savior of our lives.
You cannot reinvent yourself because you did not create yourself.
Jesus didn't call you to be your authentic self. He called you to deny yourself.
Jesus didn't eat with sinners and tax collectors because he wanted to appear inclusive, tolerant, and accepting. He ate with them to call them to repentance.
Just because we desire something doesn't mean it should be acted upon. Your desires do not equal your identity. Believing someone should change everything to match their identity and desires simply isn't true. It's the other way around.
What--or who--we find our identity in determines our holiness, which affects our happiness. God wants us to be holy. Only in him can this be sustained.
Chapter 6: Loving Ourselves to Death: Self-Help and New Thought
There is such a thing as caring for yourself in a healthy, God-honoring way. Look, neglecting yourself and your mental health is not God-honoring. That's satanic. Even so, there's no denying that the idolatrous self-reliance pendulum can swing way too far. It gives us heavy burdens we then blame God for.
Self-help can be a repackaged gospel of works.
The self-reliance false gospel is all about pursuing our individual happiness rather than our holiness. It's about how to have our best life now because this is what Jesus wants.
Having a hopeful attitude and believing in good things to come is a great approach to any day.
The fact is we're made in the image of God, and this means we experience truth, love, and good things all the time. But Scripture says we're shortchanged in these things until we find our ultimate purpose in Jesus alone.
Nearly every false idea today can be traced back to the belief that humanity is fundamentally good.
...self-reliance sounds like a lot of work.
There's profit to be made off you if you're discontented and dissatisfied. The people in the self-help movement know this. Only Jesus offers the true satisfaction and contentedness you've been searching for your entire life. There's a reason why he's described as the Bread of Life, the Living Water. He alone satisfies. Wholeness Through Christ
Recognizing our inner imperfection is the best thing we can do. It starts by acknowledging a fundamental truth about the gospel message, one that stands in stark contrast to the self-improvement philosophy. It should bring us to our knees as the beginning of true healing: A denial of self to find yourself.
Jesus doesn't save those who find themselves. He saves those who die to themselves (Luke 9.23-24).
When we discover our true condition as being separate from God, not as God, only then can we come to him.
Thomas Watson once said, "Until sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet." New Thought says to find yourself, but Jesus says to die to yourself. New Thought says you are born perfect. Jesus says you must be born again (Johm 3.3).
No matter who you are, you are made in the image of God, worthy of respect and love.
The reality of the Christian message brings perspective on what we were created for. Knowing truth and our identity in Jesus determines how we see the world. In Jesus, we find the most sacrificial love combined with the greatest power to draw us into a relationship with him. The gospel helps us understand why things are the way they are and why we were created.
...the greatest need we have is a solution for our fallen spiritual condition. If we don't see this need, we'll never look for the solution. The answer to this need cannot be found within us. It must come from outside of us. The answer is found in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Chapter 7: Dreams Come True: Toxic Affirmation and the Law of Attraction
God wants to humble us. Satan wants to put us on a pedestal.
God says to die to yourself. Satan wants you to live for yourself.
God alone says he is the Great I Am. Satan says you are the Great I Am.
New Thought affirmations focus on the self, not a holy and sovereign God.
Affirmations are used as a sort of incantation, sometimes leading to a denial of reality. ... As Georg Christoph Lichtenberg powerfully put it, "The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted."
Affirmations are notorious for taking Scripture out of context to force biblical support.
Affirmations always make you the good guy. The spiritual default posture of affirmations is that you are inherently good and you deserve nothing but positive things to come your way. In this light, it's difficult to see our flaws.
One of the main issues with affirmations is the disregard of sin. If we think we don't have a sin problem, then why in the world would we need a savior?
Common sense and biblical wisdom imply that our actions and words impact our lives and relationships. This does not equate to our thoughts and words having superpowers.
Chapter 8: Prosperity Now: New Thought and the Word of Faith Movement
The people in this movement fused "Word" and "Faith" together to reflect the movement's core doctrine that your words, when infused with faith, can shape your reality and manifest positive changes.
...a mix of New Thought with a side of Pentecostal tradition.
If "spirit" represents ultimate reality, then our physical senses perceive something secondary. Our intellect takes a back seat. The mind is seen as holding the Christian back from experiencing the fullness of God.
The WoF is a radical extension of the Pentecostal charismatic movement. I don't think it's accurate (or biblical) to lump all who are "charismatic" or "Pentecostal" into the WoF group.
We ought to call our bad theology. It's not divisive to do so. It's divisive to teach bad theology.
In New Thought and WoF, there's no room for excuses. If you don't receive healing, it's never because of God's sovereign will at work. He's certainly not allowing your pain and suffering for any greater purpose. The fault lies with you and your lack of faith.
Scripture is clear: Jesus's main priority was to preach the gospel, not physically heal everyone.
The question I would pose to someone who believes it's always God's will to heal is this: Is Jesus alone enough for you? If you never had a single miracle, healing, or spiritual experience, woud his grace be sufficient for you? How we answer this question reveals much about our heart posture toward Jesus.
Wealth is not necessarily a sign of God's blessing. Contentment is.
Pray often with all your heart and mind. But this isn't some sort of magical incantation forcing God to bend to our will. Praying "in Jesus's name" doesn't equal "abracadabra." We pray according to the will of God, letting our requests be made known to God (Philippians 4.6).
In WoF, to be made in God's image means we are exact duplicates of God.
WoF amplifies the desire for spiritual encounters.
The prosperity gospel places a burden on people. This is what false gospels are supposed to do. They make sensational claims and then make it impossible for you to achieve them.
Following Happy Jesus, seeking constant victories through manifestations and miracles, leaves people empty and always yearning for the next spiritual high.
The fruit of the WoF movement isn't good. It mocks the gospel and Jesus's message.
Chapter 9: A Different Gospel: New Thought and Progressive Christianity
True freedom lies in submitting to what god says, not in shaping God to fit our preferences.
In Christianity, the Bible is supposed to change you. But in some forms of progressive Christianity, you are supposed to change the Bible because it's outdated and can't be understood without a modern lens.
Both New Thoughters and progressive Christians claim the name "Christian" but then live as their own god. Ideas once considered unique to New Thought are embraced within the walls of progressive churches. They both regress back to the lie that is central to their belief: You are your own sovereign.
We shouldn't follow our inner inclinations but go against them. Because of our sinful nature, we are always "course correcting."
If New Thought were true, it would rob the mercy and grace of God which is foundational to the gospel. Judgment is getting what you deserve. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Grace is getting what you don't deserve. New Thought being a lie means no matter who you are or what you've done, God eagerly offers you his love, grace, and mercy.
Remember that what you're really looking for is found only in Jesus and him alone. He is the endgame.
Chapter 10: The Schuller Secret: New Thought and the Church Growth Movement
For most churches, the Sunday service is mainly for Christians. They are the primary audience.
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This is why those most recent posts I've made talk about how the world is fallen because we fell (and keep falling) for lies. It's why I talk about the lies we've chosen to believe, the lies that have deceived us into believing we are in charge of our lives, that we can be gods.
You may have noticed my comment of "Wholeness Through Christ" up there somewhere. I want to point you to the organization of that name. My parents have done training though them and have used that training to help a lot of people through prayer ministry. If you want to learn how to be whole in Christ and how to help others achieve wholeness, check them out.
Most of the writing I've done here in the past has been me working out my Becoming. It is still that. I am not there yet; I won't be until eternity. I try to be open and honest about where I'm at and where I think I'm going when I write about my faith here. There was a long break in posts while I did some more private work, at the end of which I realized I'd strayed far off the path I was supposed to be following. I'm back now, continuing to do my best.
I'm not sure what I'll write about tomorrow, but there will probably be something. The mist is clearing, and I feel like I'm finally seeing the prophecy and all those pictures and words from my youth come to fruition.
Peace & Blessings.
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