Discover how Teresa unpacks New Age confusion and highlights the Catholic Church's clarity amidst modern spiritual distortions.
Confronting New Age Confusion with Catholic Clarity
In this video from the Faith Under Fire series, Teresa tackles the pervasive issue of New Age confusion and how the Catholic Church offers clarity amidst the contradictions of modern spiritual trends.
This blog post summarizes her insights, exploring the inconsistencies in New Age and New Thought philosophies and how Catholicism provides a stable, truth-filled response.
What Is New Age Confusion?
Teresa begins by discussing how New Age and New Thought movements create confusion by blending contradictory beliefs and practices.
These movements often combine elements from various religious and spiritual traditions, such as Eastern meditation and Western occult rituals, resulting in a worldview that lacks coherence.
Teresa highlights the importance of clarity in faith, citing 1 Corinthians:
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
1 Corinthians 14:33
Contradictory Beliefs in the New Age Movement
One of the main sources of new age confusion lies in the paradoxical beliefs and practices these movements promote.
Reincarnation vs. Eternal Soul
Teresa explains how New Age philosophies often embrace reincarnation while simultaneously striving for ultimate enlightenment or unity with a higher consciousness. These two ideas conflict, leading to confusion about the nature of the soul and the purpose of spiritual growth.
Light vs. Dark Occult Practices
The New Age movement frequently incorporates both “light” practices, like crystal healing, and darker rituals, such as divination. Teresa warns that even seemingly benign practices can invite harmful spiritual influences, blurring the lines between what is good and evil.
Self-Deification vs. Surrender
Teresa discusses how New Age teachings emphasize self-divinity—seeing oneself as godlike—while also advocating for surrender to a universal energy. This contradiction creates uncertainty about the role of personal power versus reliance on a higher force.
Catholicism Offers Clarity
In contrast to the confusion of New Age philosophies, the Catholic Church provides a clear and consistent framework for spiritual growth. Teresa highlights how Catholicism’s teachings are grounded in three pillars: Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium.
Gradual Spiritual Growth
Unlike New Age ideas of instant manifestation or enlightenment, Teresa emphasizes the Catholic view that true spiritual growth is a gradual process. Through prayer, sacraments, and humility, Catholics deepen their relationship with God over time, rejecting the quick fixes promised by New Age practices.
Objective Truth vs. Relativism
Teresa points out that Catholicism stands firm on the concept of objective truth. While New Age movements often mix and match beliefs, the Church teaches that divine truth is revealed through Christ and safeguarded by the Church’s traditions.
Moving from Confusion to Clarity
Teresa concludes her discussion by reaffirming that the Catholic faith provides stability and direction amidst new age confusion. With its focus on sacramental life, reliance on God’s wisdom, and adherence to a unified truth, the Church offers a clear path to spiritual enlightenment, free from the inconsistencies of modern distortions.
ABOUT TERESA YANAROS
Teresa Yanaros, a degreed journalist and devout Catholic, is dedicated to exposing occult deceptions and upholding the truth of Christ. Raised Catholic, Teresa's path led her through new age and occult beliefs after straying from the faith in college, which she explored in a book reconciling these beliefs with Catholicism (spoiler: they don’t). After a transformative deliverance experience from occult bondage, she now coaches Christians transitioning from the new age to faith in Jesus and teaches Catholics how to best minister to and reform ex-newagers. Through SpiritSanctified.com, Teresa offers resources on occult bondage, deliverance, and spiritual warfare. Her YouTube channel, with a global reach, provides insights into spiritual warfare and occult traps in media. Teresa has attended seminary classes, continues ongoing research, and conducts workshops to help Catholics understand their personal stories and maximize their impact through online ministries.
ABOUT SPIRIT SANCTIFIED
Spirit Sanctified educates Christians on spiritual warfare through multi-media productions and products. We comprise advocates and creators who work together to help Christians stand against occult worldviews by purifying their beliefs and practices.
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