Encyclopedia of New Age Practices to Avoid
The New Age promises secret and hidden wisdom, healing, higher self-esteem, love, financial success, and inner peace. The New Age teaches that we are all “little gods” who can manifest whatever and whomever we want. The reality however, is that you never arrive at the point of true and lasting happiness, so you keep addictively seeking and searching.
We have found that many people are unaware that they’re involved with spiritually dangerous New Age practices. We understand, because the same thing happened to us in the past.
We made this list to help you identify and avoid these deceptive practices. We wish someone would have made and shown us a similar list many years ago! We’re not “being negative” or “fear-based” with this list. We’re also not hating on anyone, or judging anyone. In fact, it would hateful of us if we didn’t warn you about the dangers of the new age. We love and care about you and everyone!
Someday, everyone will learn the truth: the devil runs the new age. Some people will discover this truth while in hell, where it’s too late for regrets. We pray that you and others will discover this truth now, while there’s still time to run into Jesus’ loving arms.
At one time, we didn’t believe in the existence of demons or the devil, but we found out the hard way that they’re real. We aren’t afraid of demons; we’ve just gained wisdom about how to avoid them, which is why we’re sharing this information with you today.
We realize that you may not believe what we’re saying, and may actually become angry at us for sharing this article. We probably would have reacted the same way to this article, before we were saved by Jesus and read the entire Bible. There’s a story of people rioting against Apostle Paul because his gospel teachings resulted in fewer people buying goddess statues in Acts 19:23-30.
The new age teaches that demons and the devil don’t exist, so that demons can operate undercover without being noticed. They convince everyone in the new age that the only problem is fear or negativity, when in reality many problems are caused by demons and the devil . . . and Jesus is the cure.
Many of Jesus’ healings recorded in the gospels, involved him casting demons out of people, which resulted in instant healings. In the Old Testament, demons are called “unclean spirits.” The Bible teaches that these demons are fallen angels. When we practice New Age methods, or have New Age items in our home, it’s breaking God’s commandment against idolatry. It’s also opening the doorway for demons to mightily mess with you and your life.
The New Age false promises are the same ones that the serpent gave to Eve . . . and the serpent continues to try to feed us the same false promises today. Beware of these New Age practices, which can lead you astray, cost you your relationship with God and loved ones, and entangle you with demons who are posing as angels, fairies, aliens, and departed loved ones.
Doing these practices doesn’t make you a “bad person,” and we are not judging or hating on you. Rather, we are warning you because we also fell into these deceptive practices which are a demonic trap. We are not hating on anyone, nor judging you. God loves you, and he wants the best for you, and so do we! He wants you to go directly to him in prayer, worship, and Bible study so that he can guide your path in a safe, fulfilling way for this life and your afterlife.
Some people try to blend Christianity with new age, which doesn’t work. Jesus said that we can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Besides, Christianity and new age are opposites because one gives all glory to God, and the other gives all glory to yourself. Since God’s first commandment is to have no other gods before him, we break this commandment when we put ourselves on the throne of our own heart.
We also break this commandment when we twist our ideas of God, to conform our fears and wants. God is not the new age definitions of “universe,” “source energy,” “Christ consciousness,” or “energy.” He’s God, the Creator of you and everything in this universe. He is holy, merciful, loving, and just – which means that he must punish sin. That’s why he sent his Son Jesus as our substitute for punishment, so that all who believe in him can be saved (John 3:16).
And that means believing in the real true Jesus of the Bible, not in the make-believe new age version of Jesus. You can get to know the real Jesus by studying his words in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible. Get yourself a more modern translation when you’re first reading the Bible, like NKJV, NIV, or NLT. As you grow more accustomed to reading the Bible daily, you can switch to ESV or KJV if Holy Spirit guides you to do so.
If you’ve been engaged in new age practices, please immediately go to God in prayer, get on your knees and ask for his help so that you can stop New Age practices. Repent by apologizing, and make the commitment to turn to God from now on. God will forgive and deliver you.
Then, walk around your home while asking the Holy Spirit which items to dispose of. Remember that if the item is bad for you, it will be bad for someone else. Just like in Acts 19:19, it’s best to destroy anything that’s a gateway for demons. Here’s a video to tell you more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC6TVczb8Uc&t=228s
Some people are deeply enmeshed in the New Age, perhaps because their career and income depend upon New Age revenue, or their loved ones are all new agers. The demons who accompany New Age practices will try to reassure you that there’s nothing wrong with the new age, and those who’ve had painful experiences with Christianity may balk at the thought of returning.
After all, the demons will argue, the new age is all about love, light, and peace. So, please ask yourself: Am I really at peace? Or am I continually seeking peace? The new age is an endless journey of seeking peace and love and never finding it, with hell as the final destination. Don’t believe in hell because of new age teachings? Jesus taught about hell more than any other person in the Bible, and hopefully you believe Jesus. If not, because you’ve bought into the devil’s lies against the Bible, please spend some time reading this eye-opening page of people’s stories about hell: https://christiscoming777.com/
Please get off the new age path, and ask Jesus to be your Savior! He will guide you to his straight and narrow path, give you true and lasting peace, and bring you to heaven. We are praying for you, and for all new agers to come to Christ.
Remember to ask for God‘s help through the process of leaving the New Age. It’s also good to ask for support from other ex-new agers. Look on the Facebook search section, for groups focused upon New Age to Christianity. We also recommend that you begin attending a Bible study group, which most churches worldwide offer for free. That’s an excellent way to learn the truth about God‘s will, and to meet new godly friends.
Please feel free to share, post, copy, publish, and translate this article with others. Someone needs to see this list, as we so desperately needed to see this list years ago.
A Personal Note from Doreen Virtue: I was deceived by the devil, and was raised in New Thought / New Age. I didn’t know any better, and once I learned the truth about Jesus and started studying the entire Bible, my eyes were opened. I deeply regret teaching about the new age, and I have repented to God. I apologize if you learned about or started practicing anything New Age because of my teachings. At the time, I believed in the New Age, but I don’t now. The New Age left me broke and broken, and I don’t want anyone to repeat these mistakes that come from the devil’s deceptions! I spent thousands of dollars and decades of years taking new age classes, and buying new age products . . . and never finding any answers. I don’t personally sell any new age products anymore, but other people continue to sell my old products, a maddening situation which is out of my control. The best I can do is counterbalance my previous work by sharing what the Bible says. Through the grace of God, I have been saved and I am dedicating the rest of my life to teaching the truth of the gospel in free articles and videos on YouTube.com/DoreenVirtueForJesus.
If this list offends or upsets you, it’s likely because the demons which have been oppressing you are offended and upset. They want to keep controlling you, and they don’t want you to turn to Jesus. The devil is called “The Accuser” in the Bible, because he constantly points angry fingers toward you and others. If you’re filled with guilt, anger, and fear, that’s the devil’s doing. Pray for God’s help, and he will help you. Here’s a prayer: “Dear God, please reveal the truth to me about Jesus. Please help me to turn away from anything that’s against your will, and bring me to salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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Affirmations without God – Avoid positive affirmations that only glorify yourself (i.e., “I am a wonderful person”) and instead use affirmations that glorify God based upon Bible verses. Self-glory is hollow, like eating junk food. Giving glory to yourself won’t increase your happiness, confidence, or self-esteem. Only by praising God will you find the joy and peace that you seek. Don’t believe this? Try saying “Thank you God” repeatedly and notice how you feel. Then keep going with praising God. God doesn’t “need” us to praise him (he doesn’t have an ego), but we need to praise God for our own benefit.
Aliens – The fascination with other lifeforms can open you to demons pretending to be aliens, and can also distract you from your godly purpose.
Angel Cards – Demons disguise themselves as angels, and can give amazingly accurate predictions which tangle you up in a satanic web of deceit. The demons will give you a mixture of truth and lies, to hook you in and lead you to deception.
Angel Numbers – While the Bible definitely has number symbology, the Bible is also clear that God wants us to go directly to him for answers. Here is an eye-opening article about angel numbers: https://www.gotquestions.org/angel-numbers.html
Angel Readings – The Bible is filled with references to the angels. But nowhere in the Bible does it say we should call on angels. It only says that we should pray to God and he sends us angels. The Bible also warns that the devil disguises himself as an angel (2 Corinthians 11:14), so we need to be very cautious with angels.
Ascended Masters – The belief that deceased religious leaders and mythical beings can be contacted for guidance. Sometimes people include Jesus in this list, which is heresy since Jesus is the Son of God, and not just a human teacher who ascended. Ascended Masters are either demons in disguise, or figments of our wishful thinking.
Astral Projection – An out-of-body experience will give us neither truth nor knowledge. If an involuntary out-of-body experience occurs in the life of a Christian, the best approach would be to consider it in the same category as a dream—interesting, perhaps, but not a source of truth. Christians are to find truth only in the words of God, as Jesus prays in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” From gotquestions.org. In addition, “leaving the body” is spiritually dangerous, and could get you entangled in demonic strongholds.
Astrocartography – Using astrology to decide where to live is likely to steer you away from God’s will for your living situation.
Astrology – Astrology is the “interpretation” of an assumed influence the stars (and planets) exert on human destiny. This is a false belief. The royal astrologers of the Babylonian court were put to shame by God’s prophet Daniel (Daniel 1:20) and were powerless to interpret the king’s dream (Daniel 2:27). God specifies astrologers as among those who will be burned as stubble in God’s judgment (Isaiah 47:13-14). Astrology as a form of divination is expressly forbidden in Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). God forbade the children of Israel to worship or serve the “host of heaven” (Deuteronomy 4:19). From gotquestions.org
Chakras – A chakra is a spiritual “power point” used in Yoga and Eastern mysticism. The word chakra describes one element in a highly complex system of thought about the energies of the body. The spiritual experience achieved through this type of meditation is undeniably real, and it may feel like a connection to the divine, but it is not of God. The Bible says that we should reject spiritual messengers who claim to be from God but speak “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:8). From gotquestions.org
Channeled Books – When an author claims to receive profound new truths from a spirit, beware! This is a sign of demonically transmitted lies. Some authors claim to be channeling Jesus, and they may sprinkle Bible verses in their channeling and label it Christian. But any message that tries to add to the Bible, or change the gospel, is demonic and should be avoided.
Channeling – This is a practice of vacating your awareness, so that a spirit can take over and communicate through you. Always remember that demons lie, so they may falsely claim to be Jesus, an angel, a departed loved one, or an entity. You don’t want to take advice from a demon, as they will tangle you into a stronghold. Avoid channelers, and avoid channeled material (including so-called Christian channeled books from Jesus).
Christ Consciousness – Christ consciousness claims a belief in Jesus Christ, but it actually promotes faith in one’s own ability to make oneself pleasing to God through attitude changes and mystical experiences. 1 John 4:1 gives us direction concerning philosophies such as Christ consciousness: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” The consciousness that pleases Christ is for human beings to recognize that we are sinners (Romans 3:23), confess Jesus as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:8–9), and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). From gotquestions.org
Course in Miracles – A channeled book, supposedly dictated by Jesus. “The Course” is a mixture of truth (i.e., the importance of forgiving) and lies (there was no crucifixion; there is no sin; and the devil doesn’t exist). The book is designed to pull you away from the true Jesus, the Holy Bible, and the gospel. Avoid this book completely.
Crystals – In the New Age, people are encouraged to worship God’s creations (such as crystals), instead of the Creator God. The Bible tells us that we are to worship the Creator, and not his creations (crystals, stars, planets, the moon, etc.). While the Bible is filled with references to crystals, nowhere are we told to worship them or use them as a substitute for going directly to God. We also are not instructed to use crystals to “amplify healing energy.” God explicitly commands against worshipping Him through created things. We are not to bow down and worship the form of anything in heaven above or earth below (Exodus 20:4–5). Wearing a crystal necklace can give others the impression that you are a new ager or that you agree with New Age philosophies, which could be a stumbling block for some.
Cults – Beware of false teachings and cults which encourage you to give a lot of money, or distance yourself from family, especially if they discourage you reading the Holy Bible. The best way to stay on God’s straight and narrow path is by knowing what the Bible says. And that takes a commitment to reading able studying the Bible.
Deities and Divinities – This can include legendary multi-cultural gods and goddesses who actually don’t exist outside of myths, or who are really demons pretending to be helpful spirits. Stay far away from any involvement with them!
Divination – The attempt to obtain knowledge of the future, so that you can be reassured. The Bible strictly forbids fortune-telling, and instructs us to trust God with our future. The reason: God loves you and he is the only one who knows your future. He doesn’t want you to be deceived by demons who feed false information to psychics and divination tools. If you’re worried about tomorrow, bring your concerns to God instead of to a fortune-teller.
Dream Catchers – The purpose of a dream catcher is to catch dreams—that is, to trap bad or evil dreams and channel good dreams to the sleeper. New age borrows from many different cultures without realizing the underlying meaning or implications. Dream catchers are usually placed in a window or above the bed, allowing the good dreams to drip down the feathers onto the sleeper below. Essentially, a dream catcher is intended to manipulate the spirit world. Knowing the background of dream catchers and their talisman-like use, many Christians want nothing to do with them. From gotquestions.org
Drumming Circles – New age borrows from many cultures, without understanding the underlying meanings and implications. A drumming circle ceremony involving several people beating drums, usually outside during a new moon or full moon. The rhythmic drum beats result in a trance state, usually accompanied by prayers said to the moon. Worshiping the moon or other creations is forbidden and spiritually dangerous. We should direct all of our prayers to God, and avoid going into trances which could make us susceptible to demonic intrusion.
Earth Angels – The belief that some people are angels in disguise. While Hebrews 13:2 does counsel us to show hospitality to strangers who could be angels unaware, this is a reference to angels sent by God for temporary physical assignments (such as the angel who visited Abram and Lot in Genesis).
Empowerment – The attempt to feel better about yourself and/or to gain worldly success. These concerns need to be brought to God (including through a pastor or Christian counselor), rather than through an expensive empowerment workshop.
Energy Healing – The belief that a person can be a conduit for “universal energy” through the use of symbols and their hands. This is the spiritual equivalent of opening your front door and inviting random strangers into your home.
Entity Group – Supposedly a collection of spirits who speak through channelers. Beware of taking advice from them, as their messages will be a combination of ego-stroking, giving false hope, and leading you away from the real Jesus of the Bible. Jesus warned us that in the last days, there would be false Jesus’s (Matthew 24:4-5). “Take no heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.”
Fairies – Images of fairies are cute, but in reality, they’re usually demons-in-disguise or an overactive imagination. We must be cautious about sparkly enticements that the devil places before us. Pray for Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance about having fairy images in your home.
Feng Shui – The allure of magically improving your life by rearranging your furniture, and placing pentagon mirrors, hanging crystals, and painting your door red, appeals to those who are enticed by this ancient Asian practice. Yet, Feng Shui points to objects as the source of our good, instead of God. There’s also a spiritual danger of unknowingly utilizing “black hat Feng Shui” methods, which is a form of sorcery and thereby forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:10).
Flower of Life – An attractive geometric shape that supposedly has its origin with the priest-King Melchizedek, although there is no biblical basis for this recently developed legend. Turn to the Bible for answers, instead of to geometric pattens.
Follow Your Heart (or Believe; Follow Your Dreams; Follow Your Bliss; etc.) – This sounds like great encouragement, right? Well, if your dreams come from your ego instead of from God’s will, they won’t yield satisfaction, fulfillment, or last very long. Instead of following yourself, follow the One who made you. Put Jesus on the throne of your heart instead of yourself, and follow his eternal wisdom. Remember that God loves you and has a purpose for your life.
Goddesses – Women who’ve had bad experiences with men and/or organized religion, may actively avoid Christianity because they see it as “patriarchal” or misogynist. They then turn to female deities to quench our natural desire to commune with God. The trouble with goddesses, though, is that they’re really demons or our imagination. Communing with demons is spiritually dangerous because they give harmful guidance, and lead us away from salvation. This is also another example of how new age borrows from multi-cultural spirituality.
Harry Potter – These seemingly innocent novels introduce children and adults to witchcraft, and make it sound harmless and inviting. Whether the author intended it or not, reading or watching Harry Potter is advocating of a practice that the Bible says is detestable to God (Deuteronomy 18:10).
Horoscopes – The Bible expressly forbids divination, sorcery, and hidden arts (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). God’s people are to heed God only (Deuteronomy 18:15). Any other source of guidance, information, or revelation is to be rejected outright. (See also Acts 16:16-18.) The Bible points to Jesus Christ as the only proper focus of faith (Acts 4:12; Hebrews 12:2). Our trust is in God alone, and we know that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Faith in anything besides God is misplaced. Astrology, then, opposes biblical teaching in at least two ways: it advocates faith in something other than God, and it is a form of divination. We cannot determine God’s will for our lives through horoscopes. From gotquestions.org
Hypnosis – Hypnosis leads to an altered state of consciousness in which the mind is very susceptible to outside suggestion. That susceptibility is what the hypnotist needs in order to modify the behavior of his subject. However, the word susceptible should concern us. Scripture says to be watchful and “self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The hypnotist is not the only one who wants to modify our behavior; Satan also wants to do some modifying, and we should be wary of giving him any opportunity to make his suggestions. From gotquestions.org
Idols – Throughout the Bible are God’s warnings for us to stay away from idols. We normally think of an idol as a statue of a pagan deity, but it can also include anything or anyone that we focus upon more than God.
Journeying – An attempt to get answers, guidance, and glimpses of the future by taking a mental journey through meditation, drumming, chanting or using drugs. These methods can connect you with demonic transmissions that give misleading guidance.
Law of Attraction – The belief that your thoughts can manipulate and control your circumstances. Here’s a great article about the Law of Attraction: https://www.gotquestions.org/secret-law-attraction.html
Mandalas – The belief that we gain supernatural power from looking at, drawing, or wearing, geometric patterns. We don’t. The only power that exists comes from God. Looking outside of God for power, wisdom, or special favors is called “idolatry,” which God clearly forbids.
Manifesting – The belief that we can create and attract whatever we want, if we are just positive enough. This leaves God and his will out of the picture, though, which is always a big mistake. Psalm 127:1 reminds us that unless the Lord builds the house (or anything else we are trying to “manifest”), it will be in vain. In other words, what we “manifest” will vanish like the mirages they are.
Meditating without God – The Bible is filled with verses that command us to meditate upon God’s scripture in the Bible. Usually that means that you read a passage from the Bible, and then close your eyes and contemplate what you just read. In contrast, New Age meditation involves the attempt to “empty“ your mind. An empty mind is a dangerous place that demons attempt to infiltrate. This leaves you vulnerable to demons giving you false messages. With Christian meditation, you focus on scripture and/or Jesus. Here’s a good article: https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-meditation.html
Mediumship – The attempt to contact a deceased person, usually for the purpose of receiving a message and comfort from grief. Demons pretend to be your departed loved one, and they give some accurate message that only you could know. This hooks people into mediumship readings, which gives the demons license to enter your life at a time when you’re vulnerable from grief.
Mercury Retrograde – The belief that the planet Mercury “dances” backwards three times a year. Since Mercury is associated with the pagan deity who supposedly controls communication and travel, the belief is that life becomes messy during Mercury Retrograde periods. Since God created the planet Mercury, it is God who is sovereign and in control of our destiny.
Metatron’s Cube – Supposedly the “sacred geometry” held by an angel named Metatron (who is mentioned in Jewish legend, but not in the Holy Bible).
Mindfulness – Man’s efforts to calm the mind and rid the life of stressors—through mindfulness or other New Age techniques—are an attempt to manufacture peace. From a biblical perspective, we know that only Jesus gives the peace that can exist in all circumstances (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7). No human can control emotions or thoughts on his or her own because we are born slaves to a sinful nature (Romans 6:17–23). Only through the power of the Holy Spirit who sets our minds free to think truthfully can we know true peace. If we want to practice being more aware or insightful, there are much better options than mindfulness techniques, such as Bible study and prayers for insight. From gotquestions.org
Numerology – While the Bible definitely has number symbology, the Bible is also clear that God wants us to go directly to him for answers. Numerology is an occult practice that has no basis in Scripture and no place in the Christian life. Although the Bible uses numbers such as 7 and 40 to represent specific things, this does not mean that every number has a hidden meaning. Numerology is a form of fortune–telling, which the Bible absolutely condemns (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10–13; Galatians 5:19–20). From gotquestions.org
OMG – Saying the Lord’s name in vain violates the third commandment.
Oracle Cards – The belief is that a piece of cardboard can predict the future. It can’t, but demons circle around such practices. They give a mixture of true and false advice to mislead vulnerable and trusting people.
Out-of-Body Experiencing – An out-of-body experience will give us neither truth nor knowledge. If an involuntary out-of-body experience occurs in the life of a Christian, the best approach would be to consider it in the same category as a dream—interesting, perhaps, but not a source of truth. Christians are to find truth only in the words of God, as Jesus prays in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” From gotquestions.org. In addition, “leaving the body” is spiritually dangerous, and could get you entangled in demonic strongholds.
Paganism – In spite of common assumptions, most pagan worshippers claim they don’t believe in Satan. However, there’s no question that Satan is their chief source of influence and control. Though they will deny it, they deify him in their worldly and sensual practices. That Satan is alive and well is powerfully evidenced in these pagan practices. This was not only clear in the times of the first-century church, but also in today’s postmodern world. To the faithful believers who know the Lord, pagan worship is what it appears to be—the power and deceit of the prince of this world, Satan (1 John 5:19), who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). As such, paganism should be avoided. From gotquestions.org
Pantheism – Pantheism is the view that God is everything and everyone and that everyone and everything is God. A tree is God, a rock is God, an animal is God, the sky is God, the sun is God, you are God, etc. Pantheism is the supposition behind many cults and false religions. Does the Bible teach pantheism? No, it does not. What many people confuse as pantheism is the doctrine of God’s omnipresence. God’s omnipresence means He is present everywhere. There is no place in the universe where God is not present. This is not the same thing as pantheism. God is everywhere, but He is not everything. Yes, God is “present” inside a tree and inside a person, but that does not make that tree or person God. Pantheism is not at all a biblical belief. From gotquestions.org
Past-Life Regression – While the Bible never addresses reincarnation specifically, it is clear that the biblical model of life, death, and afterlife is incompatible with any form of reincarnation as posited in religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and certain New Age or Neo-Pagan belief systems. In Hebrews 9:27-28, we are told that “just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” This passage alone appears to eliminate the possibility of remembering past lives/reincarnation. Past-life memories can be the product of your imagination or demons feeding you visions. From gotquestions.org
Peace Signs – A peace sign is an upside-down and broken cross, symbolizing the rebellion against Christianity. Yet, without Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross for us, we can never find true peace. The underlying meaning of the circle with the downward pointing fork, “the total death of man,” certainly is contrary to what the peace movement wanted. For more information about the satanic connections of the peace sign, please read https://www.gotquestions.org/peace-sign.html
Pendulums – A pointed crystal hanging from a chain, which is swung in attempt to get Yes or No answers, similar to how a ouija board is used. These practices are spiritually dangerous, with the high risk of opening yourself to demons. In addition, why would you trust your future to these items, when God freely offers his wisdom and guidance through prayer and in the Bible?
Polytheism – Polytheism is the belief that there are many gods. The Bible clearly teaches against polytheism. Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Psalm 96:5 declares, “For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” There is only one God. There are false gods and those who pretend to be gods, but there is only one God. From gotquestions.org
Power Animals – The belief that we each have an animal in spirit form with us, acting as a guide and protector. These aren’t deceased pets; power animals are usually imagined to be wild animals such as a wolf, jaguar, or eagle. This is clearly an unbiblical belief, and the practice could open you up to demonic forces.
Prosperity Gospel – This practice takes Bible verses out-of-context from their true meaning, and twists them to promise earthly success, worldly riches, material gain, and your best life now. There is no focus on salvation, repentance, the gospel, what Jesus did for us on the cross, or the importance of preparing for our afterlife in eternity. Beware of pastors that make the Bible sound like a magic genie that will grant wishes. The Bible doesn’t promise wealth or granted wishes. God promises to help us with our needs, but not with our wants.
Psychic Readings – There’s a reason why God forbids fortune tellers and mediums: because he loves us! God knows that psychic information comes from demonic sources. Some of it will be accurate, and some will be ego-stroking, or offer false hope about the future. That’s how demons hook us in, and get us addicted to psychic readings. Instead, turn to God as your only source of guidance so you can be on the path that he has planned for you.
Reiki – A system of healing involving symbols and energy, supposedly passed through a lineage of healers. Practitioners take different levels of classes, where they are “attuned” and receive symbols which they can then cast toward a person requesting healings. Some say that the system comes from extraterrestrial sources. One thing is for sure, it does not come from God. Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus or anyone else use symbols for healing.
Sage – Sagebrush dried and gathered into bundles, which are lit on fire for the purpose of “smudging” or covering places, people, and items with sage smoke as an act of exorcism and “space clearing.” Instead of turning to plants, we should go directly to Jesus of Nazareth as the only authority for casting away demons and unclean spirits.
Sacred Geometry – The belief that we gain supernatural power from looking at, or wearing, geometric patterns. We don’t. The only power that exists comes from God. Looking outside of God for power, wisdom, or special favors is called “idolatry,” which God clearly forbids.
Shamanism – Shamanism is a counterfeit, anti-Christian worldview in which the intermediary between the natural and the supernatural is called a shaman. Shamanism is related to animism, the belief that spirits inhabit the physical world as well as the spiritual realm. Animism is one of the oldest existing belief systems and is found in many tribal communities, ancient and modern, around the world. It is seeing a comeback today in neo-shamanistic groups. As Christians, we do not put stock in shamans, the rituals they perform, or the talismans they wield. Rather, our trust is in the power of the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:4), and the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16). From gotquestions.org
Sorcery – Sorcery, the use of spells, divination, or speaking to spirits, is clearly condemned in the Bible. The word sorcery in Scripture is always used in reference to an evil or deceptive practice. The book of Revelation says that sorcerers “will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8; see also Revelation 22:15). Sorcery is clearly sinful and is not to be part of Christian living. There is a wisdom that is “earthly, unspiritual, of the devil” (James 3:15), and this is what sorcery offers. Our wisdom comes from God (James 3:17), not from deceiving spirits. The power of God is much greater than the power of sorcery (1 John 4:4). From gotquestions.org
Spirit Guides – The general idea is that there exist benevolent spirits who desire to help people or “guide” them through life. Belief in spirit guides is commonly associated with New Age, pagan, and spiritualistic belief systems. Despite the claims of New Age practitioners, spirit guides are anything but benevolent. They are not the spirits of dear, departed loved ones, nor are they ascended masters who have crossed over some mystical plane. They are what the Bible calls “familiar spirits” (Leviticus 20:27, NKJV). They don’t announce their evil nature but portray themselves as beneficial. Second Corinthians 11:14–15 says, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” Satan’s lies are most effective when they look and sound like the truth, when they seem helpful. Spirit guides are actually demonic spirits who masquerade as helpers in order to trap and destroy people with false teachings and occult practices. From gotquestions.org
Statues – God forbids the use of images for worship (Exodus 20:4–5). Worshipping, venerating, lighting candles to, or praying to a statue is sinful. The original Ten Commandments expressly commands us to not have any graven images. God is transcendent; that is, He is “other than” His Creation. This means any image we might make would be an inadequate portrayal. The divine cannot be properly represented with the human imagination. From gotquestions.org
Sweat Lodges – New agers have borrowed from many cultures, including Native American customs. In new age sweat lodges, participants sit on the floor of a closed tent with no light or ventilation. Inside the tent is a campfire of charcoal bricks, with water periodically poured over the hot bricks to create steam. This intense environment is supposed to help people to have visions. However, the visions are usually related to Shamanism, spirit guides, and other new age ideas that are ripe for demonic manipulation. In addition, sweat lodges can be physically dangerous and some people have died during this practice.
Tapping – The tapping of the Emotional Freedom Technique is based on the Eastern concept of chi and meridians, or pathways of energy flow within the body. The foundational concept in EFT is that all negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system stemming from negative events. EFT seeks to rebalance the body’s energy system through physically tapping meridians. Rather than dredge up negative memories—further disrupting the body’s energy—EFT seeks to balance the energy and thus clear the negative emotion. God does not tell us to tap away our negative emotions. Rather, we are to give our burdens to Him: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6–7). The book of Lamentations and many of the psalms are good examples of people doing just that. It is certainly acceptable for a believer to seek relief from negative emotions and emotional pain, but tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique is not a biblically sound method. From gotquestions.org
Tarot Cards – Tarot cards are associated with divination—unlocking the secrets of the future by occult, supernatural means. Divination is strictly prohibited in the Bible. Tarot cards come in a deck of 78 individual cards. They were developed about 600 years ago for gaming. However, some mystics, psychics, and occultists began to use the cards for divination, and today the cards and the ability to “read” them are seen as elements of fortune-telling. To receive a tarot reading is to attempt to find out things about one’s life or future through the occult. Only God holds the future, and only He truly knows what will happen (Isaiah 46:10). If you desire to have peace about your future, turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. The future is bright for those who know Him (Romans 8:17). From gotquestions.org
Unicorns – Neon-colored unicorn images can be used by the devil to mesmerize us into his kingdom, where glitter substitutes for the bright light of Jesus. Remember that the devil always copies God, using poor quality substitutes. Whether or not unicorns really existed in the past (and the KJV Bible uses the term unicorn in place of oxen), we must be cautious about sparkly enticements that the devil places before us. Pray for Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance about having unicorn images in your home.
Universalism – The belief that everyone goes to heaven sounds like our idea of what a loving God should offer to everyone. Yet, we are told that only those who follow the 10 Commandments perfectly can be saved. Can anyone do this? No, we are all sinners who break these commands. That’s why sinless Jesus offers to be our Lord and Savior. He is the doorway to heaven and eternal salvation. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). For more information, please read: https://www.gotquestions.org/universalism.html
Universe – To a new ager, the word “Universe” is the same as “God.” In fact, people who have run away from organized religion, often have a phobia of saying the names: God and Jesus. Yet, when we worship the universe, we are praying to the creation instead of the Creator. This practice is forbidden in the Bible. In addition, why would you pray to the universe, when you can instead pray to the One who created the universe?
Vision Board – Personal affirmations stated by the unregenerate are often repackaged lies from the enemy designed to keep us from humbling ourselves before God (1 Peter 5:6). As long as we believe we can achieve our dreams by simply visualizing and declaring them, why would we think we need God (Deuteronomy 8:17)? What if His dream for us looks drastically different from our own dreams (Isaiah 55:9)? Whose vision board should prevail? Instead of creating our own affirmations, which may be wrong, we should meditate on Scripture and declare what God says. Instead of “I am a good person,” a truth declaration might be “I am a sinner saved by the grace of God” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Instead of “my life is going in the right direction,” we might declare, “I will follow Christ my Savior wherever He leads me and whatever it costs me” (Matthew 10:37–38). From gotquestions.org
Wicca – Wicca is a neo-pagan religion that has been growing in popularity and acceptance in the United States and Europe. There are many websites and books claiming to teach “real” Wicca, but the truth is, there is no consensus among Wiccans as to what the religion is all about. The reason for this is that Wicca, as it is practiced now, is only about 50 years old. Wicca is a belief system that Briton Gerald Gardner cobbled together in the 1940s and 1950s from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. One major factor that contributes to the abiding fascination with Wicca is the purported use of spells and magick (a deliberate misspelling intended to separate Wiccans from magicians and illusionists). Curiosity seekers, as well as spiritual neophytes, are most eager to delve into these mysteries. Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft, but those that do claim magick is to them what prayer is to a Christian. The difference between the two is that Wiccans claim magick is simply using their minds to control matter, or they are appealing to their favorite deity to do them a favor, while Christians call upon an omnipotent, omnipresent God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. From gotquestions.org
Witchcraft – Since early times, people have sought supernatural experiences God did not endorse. There are only two sources of spiritual power: God and Satan. Satan has only the power that God allows him to have, but it is considerable (Job 1:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:2). To seek spirituality, knowledge, or power apart from God is idolatry, closely related to witchcraft. First Samuel 15:23 says, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” Witchcraft is Satan’s realm, and he excels in counterfeiting what God does. When Moses performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians did the same things through demonic power (Exodus 8:7). At the heart of witchcraft is the desire to know the future and control events that are not ours to control. Those abilities belong only to the Lord. This desire has its roots in Satan’s first temptation to Eve: “You can be like God” (Genesis 3:5). From gotquestions.org
Yoga – Yoga is much more than stretching exercises. It originates in deity worship, and the yoga poses are each directed to a specific pagan god or goddess. Most yoga studios feature idol statues, and pagan practices such as chanting to deities. Lately, some Christians have argued that you can chant Bible verses during yoga, to avoid paganism. We recommend Pilates as a spiritually safer alternative. Here’s a good article on the topic: https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-yoga.html
Zodiac Signs – The Bible expressly forbids divination, sorcery, and hidden arts (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). God’s people are to heed God only (Deuteronomy 18:15). Any other source of guidance, information, or revelation is to be rejected outright. (See also Acts 16:16-18.) The Bible points to Jesus Christ as the only proper focus of faith (Acts 4:12; Hebrews 12:2). Our trust is in God alone, and we know that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Faith in anything besides God is misplaced. Astrology, then, opposes biblical teaching in at least two ways: it advocates faith in something other than God, and it is a form of divination. We cannot determine God’s will for our lives through horoscopes. From gotquestions.org
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