Although it’s true that the use of a wreath decorated with lit candles dates back to pre-Christian Germanic people, it has been used by Christians since the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas.
Category Archives: New Age
The Difference Between Christian and Occult-based fantasy
As all regular readers of this blog know, we get many questions about children’s books in which the characters use sorcery in one way or another. In an effort to help Christian parents learn how to discern whether or not this content is suitable for their children, I would like to post insights from Michael O’Brien’s book, Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture (www.studioobrien.com) which I hope you’ll find useful.
How to Use Herbal Medicine Safely
CS asks: “What can you tell us about herbs and plants that are supposed to help certain ailments, like fish oils, omega 3’s and things like that?”
New Age “Mission Creep” – Why Untested Treatments are Infiltrating American Health Care
Susan left this comment on our blog: “I’ve been reading these posts for a while and I’m wondering how vulnerable, sick people who realize they need help are going to get the help they need when health care and self-help have become a minefield of New Age practices/products. . .
“Witch Bottles” Turning Up on Texas Coast
Witch bottles
(Photo courtesy of Wikicommons, Malcolm Lidbury, CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED)
Beach goers are reporting on a series of eerie finds that have been washing up along the Gulf coast of Texas recently – glass bottles containing strange objects that are supposedly used by witches to trap malevolent spirits.
Who is Ramtha?
Entrance to the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, Yelm, Washington (Photo courtesy of Wikicommons Images, Richard David Ramsey, CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED)
BL asks: “What do you know about a woman named J.Z. Knight who claims to channel a 35,000 year old spiritual entity named Ramtha?”
Vatican Reaffirms Condemnation of Freemasonry
Due to an alarming increase in enrollment in Freemasonry in the Philippines, the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) released a new document that reaffirmed the Church’s long-standing condemnation of masonry.
The Dangers of Kundalini Yoga
KF writes: “As a former practitioner, I understand the dangers involved in . . . TM-style meditation, centering prayer and yoga. I’d especially like to see an article on the enormous damage that can be caused by ‘kundalini’ effects.”
Why Tai Chi and Catholicism Don’t Mix
DD asks: “Can you explain tai chi, and what is wrong with it from a Christian point-of-view?”
Why is Dreamwork Considered New Age?
ST asks: “What is so New Age about dreamwork? Doesn’t the Bible contain several stories about people, such as St. Joseph, who received important messages in their dreams?”
