Taking cues from Eastern religions, a New Age belief is that we are all one in a mystical sense, and since everything is one, everything is divine, from yourself to the fungus on a tree stump. In saying so, it is proclaimed that the "self" is an illusion, and that we all need to come to understand this.

While this might sound nice and comforting, and while some have said they felt transcendent feelings that proved all this to be true, it does not make sense for a number of reasons.

The self cannot be an illusion, because only a mind can come under an illusion. An illusion is being tricked into thinking something which is not true, but only something which can think could experience this. I can experience illusions, which makes my "self" real.

## Literally One Substance?

To justify the aforementioned views, the following logic is used: Ultimately, all things are the same. Everything is made up of the same material, so calling it different because of the arrangement of that material is wrong. This belief is called **monism**.

We can know that our universe is sustained by a central authority with a mind, partly because there is tremendous order in nature: without the sophisticated physical laws and precise arrangements of the substances in our universe, there would be no stars, no atmosphere, no molecules, and certainly no life.

Only a being with authority over all things could orchestrate such a complex, vast, and finely tuned project. This means that matter could precede from this superior spiritual being, but it is no good saying he is identical with matter, or he would not have been able to create it or arrange it as he chose—a puppet cannot pull its own strings.


All Is One


To answer this question, we must consider the claim closely. It is not that merely physical forces will decide our fates, but that there is a strong hand intentionally guiding events.

1. ## What is required by a being to _intend_ something?

It is simply incorrect to say that anything without a mind intends anything. No matter how nicely events caused by an irrational force turn out, there was no intentionality to it. Therefore, a mind is required.

2. ## Could the Universe itself have intentions by this standard?

Material things (everything made from physical matter) are governed by strict laws. Only if there is a mind that can overrule (or which wrote) those laws can events be arranged with a purpose in mind. Otherwise, events would unfold mercilessly and carelessly in whatever direction the physical laws demand.

If there is a mind that can manipulate the matter of the Universe, it is not dependent on matter. Else, it too would be bound by physical laws, and we would be back at square 1 with determinism and purposelessness. Likewise, if there is no such mind, then everything is determined by irrational forces.

Ipso facto, there is a mind _beyond_ the Universe.

## Recommended

- [Is Truth Absolute?](/articles/is-truth-absolute)


Does the Universe Determine Our Destiny?


Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, New Agers, and others all argue that Jesus was on their side. New Age TikTok is filled with such claims. The thing is, we can actually know some things about him with certainty, so one should not just believe everything one hears or likes to imagine about Jesus. Allow me to explain.

There are thousands of early copies of the New Testament, which cannot be said for any other historical source, and there we can find eyewitness accounts of what Jesus said. We also have ancient non-Christian sources mentioning that Jesus’s followers really believed he is the Messiah prophesied about in the Old Testament, that he rose from the dead after he was crucified, and that he is God.

## Secret Knowledge

What about secret knowledge? What if he quietly taught something different to what most people know? Believe it or not, all the way back in the second century, people were saying the same thing. They even invented their own biography of Jesus.

I counter this idea by saying that if you read what Jesus said, and read the Old Testament, which he affirmed to be God’s word, you will see an explanation of things which actually makes sense. You will also find that Jesus really fulfilled Old Testament Prophecies in remarkable ways. So before you go running off to find something you find appealing, consider finding out what God wants you to know.


Is Jesus Whoever You Want Him to Be?


The Law of Attraction is that like attracts like, and so, a positive
attitude should attract positive experiences. It is also said that
with enough self-belief, anything is possible. If we are honest, we all know bad things often happen to good people, and we all have very real limitations. Why shouldn't you just always believe you can do anything anyway?

1. The truth matters. When you deceive yourself, you do wrong.
2. It is arrogant to think that you, a human being, can control so much with only your will.
3. If you live this idea out, you will find yourself being very selfish to achieve the ends you want.

Can we still demand most outcomes and make them happen by our own self-will though? The first question you have to honestly ask yourself is that if you see evidence that manifestation does not work, will you doubt the evidence or reconsider your beliefs? Granted, you do not need to reconsider everything when one thing goes wrong, but if people you view as great examples of the power of manifestation never predict things ahead of time or get their predictions wrong, you might want to consider the possibility that no one can control outcomes to the extent you think. I for one certainly believe that there is good evidence that manifestation does not work, and that if there is a power behind granting people's selfish desires, it is not a good one, but the devil.


The Power of Manifestation

You must certainly have been told many remarkable stories about how essential oils, crystals, and astrology have helped people in their lives. You may also have contacted spirits and experienced other supernatural things which you cannot deny. Yet are these practices good and safe just because they are spiritual? Or are there spirits with evil intentions, just as there are people with evil intentions? In the Bible, we are warned that Satan himself, the Father of Lies, pretends to be an angel of light to deceive people.

> And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Another pertinent question is, are you sure other people haven’t experienced supernatural events that challenge your beliefs? For example, what do you make of Christians experiencing miraculous encounters with Jesus? Take the former Muslim Nabeel Quereshi as an example. As a Muslim who was wondering if Christianity is true, he saw Jesus in a vision before his eyes.

To summarise:

- How do you know that your spiritual practices aren't breaking the rules of a powerful spiritual being which rules over all, that is, God?
- Why do you discount more organized belief systems? For what reason are their views actually wrong?






Spiritual Practices


The New Age (Spiritualism) is a movement that blends bits and pieces from various beliefs. In general, believers hope for the enlightenment of all people, don't believe in traditional religion, believe everyone is divine, and have an interest in occult practices, such as taro cards.


New Age

All Is One

Does the Universe Determine Our Destiny?

Is Jesus Whoever You Want Him to Be?

The Power of Manifestation

Spiritual Practices

Hinduism